Thicker Than Water
by The Mind's Eye
Summary: Charlotte’s family loyalty is put to the test when her brother comes to town and sets his sights on Addison...Cooper/Charlotte with hints of Landry/Addison
1. With Open Arms

**Chapter 1: With Open Arms**

Cooper stepped directly into the crossfire. His intentions had been innocent enough; he'd come down to Pacific Wellcare with the hope of whisking Charlotte away for a romantic dinner. But as he approached her office, he was surprised to hear voices raised in argument. The door was closed so Cooper couldn't make out exactly what was being said, but his protective instinct kicked in when a booming male voice shouted Charlotte down. Before he knew what he was doing, Cooper had pushed open the door and stepped inside.

Charlotte was holding her ground, toe-to-toe and nose-to-nose, with an imposing man twice her size. Cooper physically recoiled when she whipped around, ready to pounce on whichever minion had dared to enter her office without knocking. Her expression softened when she saw him but her tone was still sharp, "This isn't the time, Cooper."

Cooper opened his mouth to apologize, to excuse himself, and slink away. But then, he did a double-take and recognized the mystery man as one of Charlotte's brothers. At the moment, neither looked very friendly but Cooper risked their wrath by taking a step forward and extending his hand. "You probably don't remember me." He offered a friendly smile. "I was at your house a couple of months ago." Cooper avoided mentioning their father's recent passing. "Landry, right?"

Landry King looked him over, then nodded. "Yeah. I remember you." They exchanged a polite handshake but the pleasantries stopped there. "No offense, but we're in the middle of something here-"

"Actually, we were just finished," Charlotte snapped.

Landry bristled and his jaw clenched. He looked ready to light into his sister again, so Cooper jumped in and tried to redirect the conversation, "So, Landry, what brings you out west?"

Landry glared at his sister, but answered the question, "I'm in town for business."

Charlotte was shooting daggers, clearly annoyed that Cooper had engaged the enemy, but that didn't stop him from making polite conversation with said enemy. "Oh, really? What kind of business are you in?"

"I own and operate a horse farm in Kentucky." Landry's combativeness faded and he turned almost friendly as he offered up, "We train thoroughbreds for local and national competitions."

"Wow." Cooper didn't know anything about horses except that they had played a big part in Charlotte's upbringing. Her father, Big Daddy, had owned a horse business so it made sense that Landry, the oldest child, would follow in his father's footsteps. "That sounds amazing-"

Landry interrupted, "You ride?"

Charlotte scoffed, "Please."

Cooper looked at his girlfriend, pride wounded, and asked, "What's that supposed to mean?" She gave him a judgmental arched-eyebrow look until he finally huffed, "I could ride if I wanted to."

"You couldn't handle a carousel." Charlotte's rebuke came off a little harsh and left Cooper bristling. He was tempted to shoot back, 'I can handle you' but blatant sexual innuendo in the presence of an older brother just screamed, 'please beat the hell out of me'.

Fortunately, Landry spoke up and promised, "You ever make it down to Kentucky and we'll teach you how to ride."

Cooper grinned. "That would be awesome." He made a point of ignoring Charlotte's cloudy expression and focused on making a friend out of his potential brother-in-law. "So, how long are you going to be in town?"

"Just a few more hours, I'm afraid." Landry motioned to a black duffel bag that had previously gone unnoticed. "The hotels in LA are all booked up, so I'm staying in Ventura."

Cooper groaned as he remembered, "Oh, there's a big Lakers playoff game tomorrow."

Landry shrugged and said, "I'll just rent a car and commute to my meetings here in LA."

Cooper was indignant. "That's an hours drive each way."

Landry shrugged again. "A necessary evil of big city living, I suppose-"

"No, no." Cooper looked at Charlotte, hoping to generate a little compassion. "That's ridiculous. You'll spend your whole visit stuck in traffic."

Charlotte was unmoved. "Highway 101 is a straight shot."

Cooper couldn't understand Charlotte's indifference. He tried to convey his disappointment in a look but she didn't seem to care. Finally, Cooper just threw up his hands and took it upon himself to play the good host. "Commuting like that is ridiculous." He paused to give Charlotte one last chance to do the right thing but all she did was glare at him. "Charlotte has an empty guest room. You should just stay with her and save yourself the money and the grief." Charlotte opened her mouth to object, but Cooper cut her off, "I'd love to get to know you better. Maybe hear some embarrassing stories about your sister when she was a little girl."

Landry hedged, "I don't wanna impose-"

"It's no imposition," Cooper insisted. "Honest."

"Well, alright." Landry shot his sister a boastful smile. "I sure do appreciate it."

Cooper felt Charlotte's tiny hand wrap around his wrist, her trimmed fingernails digging into his skin. "A moment, please?" The angry glint in her eyes warned him to shut up and comply. He was already in big trouble and defiance would just make his punishment more severe.

Cooper winced. Her nails were probably drawing blood but he managed to offer Landry a weak smile. "Give us a quick minute." He followed Charlotte out into the hallway, tripping over himself as she dragged him by the wrist. She yanked him into the break room, glared at her workers and barked, "Out." Sheldon and another doctor looked at each other, grabbed the contents of their lunch, and scattered like rats. When the door closed, Charlotte finally released his wrist and demanded, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Cooper didn't understand what he'd done wrong, but he still felt compelled to defend himself. "I'm just being friendly-"

"Landry isn't your friend and he certainly isn't your family!"

Cooper was hurt by her tone and her words, and he let it show. "I'm sorry." He hung his head and admitted, "I just want your family to like me."

She looked taken aback. "Like you?" She frowned. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"I'm in love with you, Charlotte." Cooper could see that his earnest declaration caught her off guard, so he decided to press his luck, "I want to introduce you to my parents, my aunts and uncles, my cousins-" He stopped to impress upon her, "I want you to feel welcome in my family, and I want to feel welcome in yours."

Charlotte fell silent, her pale green eyes clouded with an emotion that Cooper couldn't quite identify. She looked away, the fringe of her bangs falling across her face, and then somewhat abruptly said, "I'm late for a staff meeting at St. Ambrose." When she looked back up at him, her walls were firmly in place and her tone was all business. "I can't have Landry underfoot at the hospital."

Cooper had trouble reconciling her sudden submissiveness, but felt compelled to volunteer his services, "He can stay with me up on the fifth floor."

Charlotte hesitated, but ultimately nodded her consent. "Fine."

It wasn't a ringing endorsement, but it made Cooper smile. The fact that she was willing to trust him with her brother, with her family, meant a lot to him. He stepped toward her, until their bodies were touching, and kissed her on the cheek. "What time will you be home?"

She shrugged and looked away. "Late."

"Alright." He brushed her hair out of her face. "Landry and I will go ahead and get dinner without you." He tried to coax a smile out of her. "I'll wait up for you." Cooper leaned down for a kiss but Charlotte slipped past him and out the door. He sighed, exhausted by her strange and off-putting behavior. Then, he remembered Landry, and walked out of the break room to find Charlotte's brother waiting for him in the hallway.

Landry was smirking at him. "She giving you hell?"

Cooper felt duty-bound to explain away Charlotte's bad manners. "She's under a lot of pressure. She works two incredibly important high-stress jobs-"

Landry waved his hand. "That's neither here nor there." He appeared not bothered in the least. "That's just Charlotte."

Cooper didn't know how to respond to that, so he changed the subject and said, "I have some paperwork to finish up, but afterwards, we can get some dinner. How does that sound?"

Landry shrugged. "Whatever works for you." He followed Cooper onto the elevator, making polite chitchat as they rode up to the fifth floor. The small, tastefully-decorated lobby was full of patients. Cooper had planned on depositing Landry inside the break room but as he neared closer, he saw that Sam and Naomi had closed the door and were currently engrossed in a rather loud argument.

"Actually, lets go in here." Cooper changed course and steered Landry into a dark office. He flipped on the lights and opened the blinds to let in a little sunlight. "Go ahead and take a seat. I should be finished in about twenty minutes."

Landry helped himself to a seat on the sofa. He set his duffel bag down by his feet and said, "No problem. Don't rush on my account." Cooper gave a nod and a smile, then left the office to finish up his work.

Landry looked around the office. The little knickknacks and personal touches told him that this was, without a doubt, a woman's office. It smelled like perfume and of course, no self-respecting man would hang pictures of rosy-cheeked newborns on their walls. A toy model caught his eye because it was certainly no toy he'd ever played with as a child; a full-scale model of a uterus.

Landry sneered at the model and turned away. "Damned California hippies," he muttered, fishing his phone out his jacket pocket. After returning some missed calls and checking his e-mail, Landry's bored gaze wandered around the office and landed back on the model.

Lost in his thoughts, he startled when a crystalline female voice asked, "Are you staring at my uterus?"

Landry turned to see a tall, striking redhead standing in the doorway. He looked her over, smiled the most charming smile, and replied, "I'm sure you're used to people staring."

Addison flushed at the unexpected compliment but managed to maintain her professionalism. Stepping inside her office, she extended her hand and introduced herself, "Doctor Addison Montgomery."

"Addison Montgomery," he repeated, his thick southern accent teasing her last name into four, drawn-out syllables. "Pleasure to meet you."

They shared a lingering handshake, prompting Addison to fluster and say, "I'm sorry. Are you a patient here?"

"No, I'm afraid not." Remembering his manners, he finally introduced himself, "I'm Landry King-"

Addison's smile faltered. "King?" The last name was common, but the strangers' fair features and thick southern accent suggested it was more than a coincidence. Addison feared she already knew the answer, but she had to ask, "Are you, by some chance, related to Charlotte King?"

"Her older brother." Landry plainly saw Addison's displeasure at the revelation, so he tried to backtrack, "My relationship with my sister is complicated." He gave a wry smile. "Family is complicated."

Addison thought about her own family -- the Captain, Bizzy, Archer -- and muttered, "Tell me about it." They shared a soft, brief smile, and Addison decided it would be unfair to dismiss Landry completely. His proximity to Charlotte King on the family tree didn't have to mean that they had anything more in common than beautiful green eyes. In a split second decision, Addison set aside her preconceived notions to inquire, "Are you going to be in town for long?"

"A couple of days." Landry paused for a beat, then artfully dangled the carrot in front of her nose, "I'd stay longer if I had someone to show me around town. Get the tour from a real native."

Addison wasn't naive. She knew what he was proposing but decided to play coy. "I'm not a native. I'm from Connecticut."

"Even better. We'll be two tourists getting lost in the big city."

Landry was an attractive and articulate man, successful by the look of him and according to his left ring finger, legally and morally free for the taking. Addison had no intention of turning him down. "Well, Los Angeles can be a pretty confusing place." She perched on the edge of her desk, crossed her long legs, and offered up an enticing smile. "You'd be lost without me."

Landry chuckled. "Don't I know it." He reached into his wallet and pulled out his business card. Despite his old-fashioned manners, he got straight to the point, "I'd like to take you to dinner tomorrow night."

Addison smiled a big, happy smile as she pocketed his business card. "I'd like that." She added, "My day usually ends around six. I can meet you somewhere-"

Landry graciously interrupted her, "I'd like to pick you up."

The request was a surprise, but a pleasant one that she just attributed to his southern upbringing. "Alright." She turned and fumbled with the papers on her desk, but managed to scribble her address onto a scrap of paper. "The winding beach roads are hard to navigate, especially if you're not familiar with them-"

Landry didn't seem concerned. "I'll find it." He pocketed the address and inquired, "Will you be ready by seven thirty?"

"Seven thirty," she agreed, giving a little nod.

Out of the corner of her eye, Addison saw Cooper cut across the lobby as he approached her office. He didn't bother to knock. He just popped his head through the doorway and said, "Hey, Addison. I guess you've met Charlotte's brother." He gave a conciliatory smile. "Sorry about leaving him in your office-"

"No, it's fine," Addison spoke up, stealing a glance at Landry. "No problem at all."

Cooper was socially awkward but that didn't mean he was completely oblivious. Even he could see that he had interrupted something. He opened his mouth to excuse himself but Landry was quicker on the draw, "It was a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Montgomery." He extended his hand to Addison. "And I look forward to tomorrow night."

Cooper grinned. "Tomorrow night? What's happening tomorrow night?" He looked at the two single, consenting adults and prayed he'd misread the situation. "Guys?" he prompted.

Addison decided against an outright lie. Instead, she settled on a skillful omission, "I'm showing Landry around Los Angeles."

"Oh." Cooper didn't quite believe it, but he wasn't going to challenge them. "That's neat."

"It certainly is," Landry agreed. He reached down and shouldered his duffel bag. He looked to Cooper and asked, "So, you ready to grab some dinner?"

"Yeah." Cooper nodded. "Paperwork is all finished." Landry was already moving toward the door, so Cooper had no choice but to follow him.

As they waited for the elevator, Landry mused aloud, "You know, I think I'm gonna like LA after all."

**...TBC...**

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A/N: I've worked really hard on this story, so reviews are much appreciated!


	2. Be Careful

**Chapter Two: Be Careful**

Cooper was hunched over a stack of paperwork when he heard someone close his office door and heave a heavy sigh. He looked up and smiled. "Hey, stranger."

Charlotte didn't appear to be in a good mood but her greeting was civil. "Hey, yourself."

"I've missed you." Cooper stood up, rounded his desk, and reached out his arms to pull her close. She stepped to the side to avoid his embrace.

"It's your own doing," she reminded him. "You opened your big mouth and insisted that Landry stay with me."

"I know. I'm sorry." Cooper could tell from the rigidity of her posture that Charlotte was wound very tightly. She desperately needed to let off some steam, but thanks to his big mouth, their usual brand of therapy was out of the question. "I didn't know he'd stay for a week." Cooper laid his hands on her shoulders and tried to massage away the knots. "You're really tense," he remarked.

"Of course I'm tense." Charlotte winced as she rolled her neck; the vertebrae made a sickening pop. "My brother has moved into my guest room and shows no sign of ever leaving, and my boyfriend is neglecting me-"

"I'm just uncomfortable sleeping over with Landry in the next room." Underneath his breath so he couldn't be overheard, he mumbled, "I'd get myself shot."

Flippant comments aside, Cooper could see that Charlotte was stressed and needed some attention. He worked the knot at the base of her neck, his thumbs digging into the muscle with just the right amount of pressure. Her eyes slipped closed. "Oh, Coop." She expelled a weary sigh. "I just want Landry back on the other side of the Mississippi where he belongs."

Cooper started to chuckle, but was taken in by her cute little pout. "I know." He leaned down, hands still resting on her shoulders, and pressed a kiss against her lips. Charlotte responded immediately and returned the kiss with surprising enthusiasm. It was passionate and intense, and left them frenzied. Sounds of heavy breathing filled the small office as the couple kissed and fondled. Charlotte wasted no time reaching for Cooper's belt buckle but he knocked her eager hand aside. "Wait." He was short of breath and struggling to remain clear-headed. "It's the middle of the day. I have a waiting room full of six-year-olds." Charlotte stared at him glassy-eyed, her mouth dropped open with red, swollen slips. Cooper didn't stand a chance. "Oh, screw it." He made a snap decision, "I'll clear off the desk if you lock the door."

Charlotte was across the office in two quick strides. The lock was thrown and she went about securing the blinds over the windows. Cooper swept the files off his desk in a gallant gesture but when he looked up to see Charlotte's reaction, he was disappointed. She was standing with her back to him, peeking through the blinds at the lobby. Her posture had gone rigid.

"Charlotte?" When she didn't reply, he prompted her, "Charlotte, what's wrong?"

"Landry's here." She turned to face him. Her expression reflected genuine shock and confusion. "And he's with Addison."

Cooper walked up beside her and peeked out the window. Sure enough, Landry and Addison were standing in front of the reception desk. They appeared to be saying their goodbyes after a lunch out on the town. Addison was holding a colorful bouquet of flowers in one hand and a take-away box in the other. She laughed at something Landry said, then smiled when he touched her arm.

Cooper glanced at Charlotte to gauge her reaction; she looked like she'd been sucker punched in the gut and couldn't catch her breath.

"Maybe they're just friends." Cooper wasn't that naïve. He didn't believe it for a second, but Charlotte just looked so devastated. He wanted to reassure her. "I'm sure it's nothing."

The words had barely left his mouth when they saw Landry lean in for a kiss. It was chaste and respectful, but definitely not a kiss between friends.

Charlotte flashed anger. "I'm gonna kill him!" She reached for the doorknob, ready to charge out there and make a big scene, but Cooper grabbed her arm and held her back. "Goddamn it, Cooper!" She tried to pull free of him. "Let me go!"

Cooper had never seen her so angry, but he held his ground. "Don't do anything you're going to regret," he warned her. "Landry and Addison are adults. It's none of our business-"

Charlotte didn't respond to reason. Instead, she turned on him and demanded, "Did you know about this?" Cooper opened his mouth to deny it, but he hesitated a second too long. "You did! You knew!" Charlotte looked hurt and utterly betrayed. "I can't believe you knew and you didn't tell me!"

Cooper rushed to explain, "I knew Addison was showing Landry around town, but I didn't know they'd started dating." Truth be told, he'd suspected as much when Landry had overstayed his welcome but he hadn't had any solid proof. Until now.

"You knew they were spending time together-"

Cooper made the grave mistake of interrupting, "Who cares if they spend time together?"

Charlotte gave him a look of sheer contempt. He could actually feel her disdain for him and watched as she fought hard to maintain control. When she finally spoke, her voice was shrill and flinty, "I care, and I'll be damned if they spend another minute together!"

Cooper just couldn't make sense of Charlotte's extreme reaction. It was excessive, even for her. "They're consenting adults, Charlotte." He gave a half-shrug. "This is one thing you can't control."

Charlotte misinterpreted his words as a challenge. "We'll see about that." She threw open the door and stepped out into the lobby. Pete was leaning against the front desk checking his messages; Landry and Addison were nowhere to be seen.

"Wilder," she barked. "Where'd Montgomery go?" Pete nodded in the direction of Addison's office and Charlotte took off like a shot.

She hesitated just outside the door when she noticed the window blinds were drawn. She stopped and listened for any obvious signs of activity, then felt like she had the green light when she heard none. Pushing open the office door, Charlotte was relieved to find Addison alone, seated at her desk, and doing paperwork.

"Charlotte." Addison greeted her with a smile but looked irritated by the intrusion. "Can I help you with something?"

"You can help me by staying the hell away from my brother!"

Addison's eyes went wide. "How-"

"I just saw you." Charlotte sneered at her. "So don't insult my intelligence by denying it."

"I won't deny it." Addison shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "I'd wanted to tell you myself." She didn't offer an apology but promised, "We'll be more discreet next time."

"No, you won't." Charlotte advanced on her. "You won't be discreet because there won't be a next time."

Addison bristled but tried to remain civil. "With all due respect, Charlotte, this is none of your business."

The look in Charlotte's eyes was unnerving. "I'm not asking you, Montgomery. I'm telling you." Her gaze didn't waver. "Stay away from Landry."

"And if I don't?"

"You'll wish you had."

Addison was in awe. "You have some nerve threatening me."

"I'm not threatening you." Charlotte tried to impress upon the other woman. "I'm warning you." She looked Addison dead in the eyes and said emphatically, "Stay away."

Addison rose from her chair. When she straightened out to her full height she had a clear advantage over the petite blond. "I have absolutely no intention of ending my relationship with Landry." Before Charlotte could interrupt, she added, "And for the record, I resent your hypocrisy."

"My hypocrisy?"

Addison only had to say one word, "Archer."

Charlotte turned pale and stammered, "It's not the same, Montgomery."

"It's exactly the same." Addison rounded her desk and stood so they were facing inches apart. "You slept with my brother."

Charlotte was embarrassed by having her transgression thrown back in her face and lashed out accordingly, "So, this is retaliation? I screw your brother so you screw mine?"

Addison opened her mouth to reply, but Cooper appeared in the doorway and interrupted them, "I really don't want to get involved, but I have a bunch of little kids within earshot of this adult conversation." He looked pointedly at both women, and added, "Not that either of you are being very adult right now."

Charlotte and Addison glared at each other but they knew that Cooper was right; this was neither the time nor the place to air their grievances. Charlotte turned to leave but not before saying to Addison, "Be careful, Montgomery."

Addison took that as a threat and started to follow Charlotte out of the office, but Cooper held up his hand to block the doorway. "Please don't follow her." Addison's cooler head prevailed and she nodded. Cooper was visibly relieved and offered Addison a small consolation, "She'll see reason once she's calmed down. I'll talk to her." Cooper turned and left the office, passing Naomi on his way out.

Naomi waited until he'd cleared the doorway before slipping inside. "What was all that about? Did you steal another patient from Pacific Wellcare?" She peeked through the window blinds, and watched Cooper and Charlotte bicker in front of the elevators. Charlotte was visibly angry and seemed to be taking it out on him. "Poor guy," Naomi commented. "He's in the doghouse again."

Addison picked up her phone and tucked it underneath her chin. "That man is a damned saint for putting up with her crap." She reached into her purse and pulled out a small, white business card. "I don't know how he stands her." She muttered underneath her breath, "Miserable bitch."

Naomi's eyebrows went up. She knew from personal experience that Charlotte King could get underneath a persons skin, but that was still no excuse for name-calling. "Addison, what's going on?" She watched her friend begin to angrily dial the phone. "Addison?"

"You want to know what's going on?" Addison tucked the phone underneath her chin while it rang. "I'm pissing off Charlotte King--that's what's going on."

Naomi bypassed confusion and went straight to overwhelming concern. "I don't understand-"

Addison abruptly turned her back on her friend when Landry's answering service prompted her to leave a message. "Hey, Landry. It's Addie. I know I said I was busy tonight, but my schedule has unexpectedly opened up. How about a nice, romantic dinner at my place?"

**...TBC...**

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A/N: What prompted Charlotte's extreme reaction? Stress and shock? Or something else...REVIEWS, PRETTY PLEASE!


	3. Hushabye

**Chapter Three: Hushabye**

Cooper was caught off-guard when Charlotte answered her front door in a bathrobe. Her face was naked of any makeup and her hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail. A few soapy bubbles clung to her flushed skin. She looked damn near adorable but none too pleased to find him standing on her doorstep. "Go home, Coop."

"I'm here to apologize." Cooper wasn't going to make any excuses for himself. He knew that taking responsibility was the only way to repair the damage he'd done. He threw himself on her mercy and held nothing back, "I knew Landry and Addison were spending time together. I suspected they were romantically involved but I turned a blind eye." He hung his head and swallowed what was left of his pride. "I made a conscious decision not to tell you." He looked up and tentatively met her eyes. "You and Landry barely speak to each other and I didn't want to create an even bigger rift." Cooper took a deep breath. "But I can see now that I just made the problem worse. I allowed you to be completely blindsided. I lied by omission and betrayed your trust, so I'll understand if you want to stay angry with me a little while longer." He looked deep into her eyes and saw the hurt he'd caused. "I'm really sorry."

"You're sorry?" Charlotte appeared to be unmoved by the heartfelt apology. She crossed her arms over her chest and asked, "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Cooper realized he was getting nowhere fast. He decided to change his approach. "Is Landry here?" He crossed the threshold into the foyer and looked around. The house was quiet and appeared to be otherwise empty. "I wanted to take y'all out to dinner."

Charlotte's nose crinkled and the corner of her mouth twitched. She was trying very hard not to smile. "Did you just say y'all?" A little grin stole across her face. "What prompted that slip of the tongue?"

Cooper looked into her eyes and spoke the honest truth, "I guess you have an effect on me."

His tender words appeared to strike a chord within Charlotte. Her icy glare melted away and her taught jaw slowly relaxed. She uncrossed her arms and truly met his gaze for the first time. Her entire demeanor softened, but she was quick to remind him, "I haven't forgiven you yet."

Cooper knew that was a lie. Her eyes were full of emotion where her anger had been. "I respect that."

Charlotte gave a brisk nod. "Good. I'm glad you understand."

Cooper could see her resolve crumbling. He decided to save her the embarrassment of making the first move. He opened his arms and Charlotte stepped inside them almost instantly. Her arms went around his neck and she tucked her head underneath his chin. Her bulky hair clip bumped into his nose but it barely registered. Cooper buried his face in the crook of her neck and whispered, "I love you."

Charlotte tightened her grip on him. She clung to him in a desperate, needy way that was extremely out of character for her. Cooper knew it would get him nowhere to bombard her with questions, so he just held her. Finally, minutes later, she seemed ready to let go. When she looked him in the eyes, she seemed embarrassed by her behavior. Very quietly, she admitted, "I haven't been sleeping well."

Cooper thought back over the past week. Charlotte had been overanxious, overwrought and overemotional. Her reactions to stress were disproportionate to the situation and her nerves were raw. He'd blamed her work and hadn't given it a second thought, but now he felt like an ass for ignoring the obvious. "Insomnia?"

"For the past week." Charlotte looked up at him with weary eyes. "I toss and turn but I can't fall asleep. It's torture."

Cooper knew that Charlotte had been treated for sleeping problems in the past. He'd never pressed for details since Charlotte always seemed to sleep soundly when she was beside him. He'd simply assumed that Pete had cured her and it was no longer an issue. "Can I do anything to help?" Cooper reached around to rub the back of her neck. "Should I make an appointment with Pete?"

"I don't need a witchdoctor," she snapped. "All I need is a good night's sleep."

"Alright." He knew better than to argue with her when she was exhausted. "I won't make an appointment." He wanted to remain in her good graces but still be proactive, so he asked again, "What can I do to help?"

Charlotte didn't hesitate. "Stay the night?"

Cooper glanced in the direction of the guest room. "What about Landry?" He lowered his voice and said, "I don't want to cause a problem."

Hurt and anger flashed across Charlotte's face. "Stop being so damn sensitive to Landry's feelings at the expense of mine!"

Cooper was stunned by the outburst. He wasn't used to Charlotte openly admitting hurt feelings. It was a sign of progress in their relationship and Cooper tripped all over himself to give her some positive reinforcement. "You're absolutely right. I'm here to support you and no one else." He looked into her eyes and pledged, "I'll stay as long as you want me."

Charlotte looked touched by his decision but ashamed of her methods. She offered him a small consolation, "Landry isn't here anyway."

"He's not?"

"He had a late meeting in Pasadena. There's no telling when he'll be back." Charlotte tugged on his belt buckle and teased, "You're safe for the time being."

Cooper tried to laugh it off but he had some very real concerns about Landry. The man had been born and raised in a conservative part of the country where sex before marriage was still considered a sin. Cooper's self-preservation instincts told him that sharing Charlotte's bed with her older brother down the hall was a mistake of biblical proportions. However, he saw no way around it. Charlotte needed him. "Have you eaten dinner yet?"

The question caught Charlotte off guard. She shook her head and answered truthfully, "No."

"Alright." Cooper unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves. "Go finish your bath while I make some dinner."

He walked off in the direction of the kitchen, leaving Charlotte somewhat bemused. She wasn't used to Cooper taking charge of the situation and barking orders at her. It was a strange role reversal, but one that Charlotte welcomed at the moment. She was too exhausted to make any real decisions and realized that mindless instructions appealed to her.

Charlotte retreated back in the bathroom and closed the door. The steam on the mirror was starting to evaporate and her bathwater had gone cold. She pulled the drain on the tub and emptied it halfway before turning on the faucet. She adjusted the knob until steam rose off the waters surface and blanketed the mirror. Charlotte shrugged out of her robe, letting it pool on the bathroom floor, then climbed inside the tub. Her skin flushed pink from the scalding temperature but she sunk down to her chin. A small sigh escaped her lips.

Charlotte closed her eyes and willed herself to relax. She drifted in and out of awareness, lulled by the din of Cooper moving around in the kitchen. His presence had a calming effect on her and she found herself finally surrendering to sleep.

The next thing Charlotte knew, she was being shaken awake by a pair of strong hands. It was forceful and jarring. A title wave of water sloshed onto the bathroom floor as she bolted upright. Her heart was pounding and she was on instant high-alert.

Cooper was standing over her. His hands were gripping her shoulders. He looked shaken to the core, but had the presence of mind to quickly assure her, "You're alright. Everything is alright." He kneeled down beside the edge of the tub. "You fell asleep."

Charlotte stared at him wide-eyed. Her pulse was racing and she had trouble processing the situation. She finally stammered, "Asleep?"

Cooper could look at her and see she wasn't all there. She was severely sleep-deprived which, he knew, could delay or even distort her perception of reality. "Everything is alright." He established eye contact and promised her, "I'm here and everything is fine."

Charlotte processed his words and the veil of confusion slowly lifted. "I fell asleep." She oriented herself by working through everything out loud, "It felt comforting to have you nearby, so I closed my eyes. I must have fallen asleep."

Cooper filled in the obvious blanks, "I called you when dinner was ready but you didn't answer me." He'd discovered her dangerously close to slipping underneath the water but he didn't want her to know that. "You need to be more careful."

"Usually I am." Charlotte admitted, "But the insomnia plays with my judgment."

"That's understandable. You're exhausted." Cooper turned and grabbed her robe off the floor. "Come on." He stood up and helped her out of the tub. "You need food and sleep."

Charlotte couldn't argue with that. She slipped into her robe and followed him out into the hallway. She was prepared to follow him into the kitchen, but Cooper directed her toward her bedroom. "Go lay down. I'll bring dinner to you."

She started to say that wasn't necessary but stopped herself. The promise of dinner in bed was something she couldn't refuse, especially when she was so tired. Charlotte changed course for her bedroom and crawled underneath the heavy comforter. She focused on the sounds of Cooper moving around in the kitchen to keep her awake. When she heard him approach, she sat up and leaned against the headboard.

Cooper walked into the bedroom carrying a mug of soup. "It's nothing fancy," he warned her, sounding almost apologetic. "The cabinets are pretty empty."

Charlotte smiled at him. "I love soup." She reached out and carefully accepted the steaming mug. It smelled amazing and she realized just how hungry she was. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Cooper sat on the foot of the bed and watched to make sure she ate. He was quick to offer seconds. "There's more-"

Charlotte shook her head. "That was plenty."

It was obvious Charlotte was ready to sleep, but Cooper knew she'd sleep longer if she had more in her stomach. He offered a compromise, "Will you drink some milk?"

She bristled almost immediately. "Cooper, come on-"

"One glass?" He watched irrational frustration mount within her and realized he couldn't win. "Never mind." He held up his hands in surrender. "I don't want to fight with you."

Charlotte scooted down and stretched out over half the bed. She pulled the covers up to her chin and closed her eyes. Cooper thought he'd been dismissed and stood up, but Charlotte's eyes snapped open as soon as she felt his weight leave the mattress. "Where are you going?"

"I live at Violet's house, remember?" He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow-"

"No. Wait." She pushed up on her elbow and grabbed him around the wrist. "You said you'd stay as long as I wanted."

"You'll be asleep in five minutes." Cooper saw her getting worked up and immediately backtracked, "Do you want me to stay until you fall asleep?"

Charlotte wrestled with her pride. She wanted him to stay all night, but just couldn't bring herself to admit it. "Until I fall asleep is fine."

Cooper nodded and joined her underneath the covers. He waited for her to scoot over and make room, but she never did. He wouldn't exactly call it snuggling, but she definitely wanted to be close. She rested her head on the same pillow and made sure their bodies were touching. "Sweet dreams, Charlotte." He wrapped an arm around her to give her the physical contact she obviously craved. "Only sweet dreams."

Charlotte closed her eyes and the tension slowly drained from her body. She shifted a few times but ultimately settled comfortably in his arms. She was asleep within minutes.

Cooper relaxed beside her. The house was dark and quiet, and Charlotte's peaceful breathing had a soothing effect on him. Lulled by the stillness of everything, Cooper closed his eyes and leisurely drifted off into a sound sleep.

Hours later, as the morning sun was starting to peek through the curtains, Cooper was roused by the sound of the garage door coming up. He lifted his face out of the pillow and squinted at the bedside clock. It was a few minutes after six. "Char?" He turned his head to find Charlotte sprawled out beside him. She was out cold and snoring softly. Cooper couldn't help but smile at how cute she looked.

The garage door closed and Cooper heard footfalls in the foyer. Pushing back the covers, Cooper gently disentangled himself from Charlotte, and walked out of the bedroom to investigate. As he stepped into the hallway, he collided with a shadowy figure.

"Whoa, man! Holy shit!" Landry jumped back a couple feet, bumping into the hall table. "You scared the bejesus out of me!"

"Sorry." Cooper was shaken. He put a hand to his racing heart and said, "I heard a noise."

"You think a prowler would use a key?"

Cooper chuffed out a laugh. "Good point." As his eyes adjusted to the darkened hallway, Cooper took in Landry's disheveled appearance; his pants were wrinkled, his rumpled shirt haphazardly tucked in on one side, his creased jacket slung over his arm and his belt loose in his hand. He looked a far cry from his normal, well-kempt self, prompting Cooper to joke, "You look like an unmade bed."

Landry's smile was annoyingly smug. "I had a late night."

The implications left Cooper with a bad taste in his mouth. "So, things are getting pretty serious between you and Addison?"

"Serious enough."

Cooper grimaced. "You know Charlotte isn't going to like this."

Landry chuckled. "Don't you worry about my sister. She takes after our momma when it comes to fits of hysterics." He clapped Cooper on the back like an old friend and gave him some advice, "Just hold the line." With a complacent grin, Landry walked past him and toward the guest room. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I didn't get a lot of shut eye last night."

Cooper forced a smile. "Yeah, of course. Good night." His friendly smile faded as soon as the bedroom door closed. He just couldn't shake this horrible feeling that things were about to take a drastic turn for the worse.

**...TBC...**

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A/N: Will Charlotte's good nights sleep change her attitude about Landry and Addison's relationship? REVIEW to find out!


	4. On the Rocks

**Chapter Four: On the Rocks**

Charlotte walked into Cooper's office and announced, "Grab your coat, Freedman. I'm taking you to dinner."

Cooper looked up from his paperwork and into Charlotte's bright, smiling face. For the first time in a long time, she looked happy and relaxed. Her brilliant smile lit up her face and he found himself smiling right back. "You're in a good mood," he observed. "You're all shiny."

"Sleep is an remarkable thing," she replied, grinning from ear to ear. "I can't remember the last time I had twelve uninterrupted hours."

"You obviously needed it."

Charlotte rounded his desk and perched on the arm of his chair. She cast a furtive glance toward the open door, then lowered her voice to ensure no one would overhear. "You're to thank for my twelve hours, you know." Her smile turned downright mischievous as she placed her hand on his upper thigh and whispered, "And tonight, after dinner, I plan to thank you."

As her hand skimmed upward, Cooper thought about the black latex jumpsuit sitting on the top shelf of Charlotte's closet. It was still in the gift box. It had never been worn, but he could already picture the curves of her body encased in the tight suit. "Forget dinner," he groaned. "I want dessert."

"The anticipation will make it better," she promised in a sultry voice. Her hand continued its upward journey, rubbing and teasing his growing arousal. "And do you wanna know a secret?"

Cooper was entranced. He hung on her every word. "Uh huh."

Charlotte was so close that Cooper could smell her shampoo and feel her warm breath against his neck. Her lips grazed his ear as she whispered, "I want a steak." Her laughter bubbled to the surface when she saw his overeager expression turn sour.

"That was just plain mean." Cooper knew he'd been played, but he tried to take the joke in stride. They'd barely spent any time together in the past week and he wanted to enjoy the silly, carefree side of Charlotte. "I think you should pick up the dinner check to pay for that little stunt," he told her, only half-serious.

Charlotte feigned exasperation. "I will do no such thing." She stood from her perch, pulled a key card out of her pocket and announced, "I've already paid for our hotel suite."

Cooper groaned, "I love the way your mind works."

Violet suddenly appeared in the doorway. She smiled at the couple but only addressed Cooper, "Hey, are you ready to go?"

Cooper looked blank, then recognition flooded his face. "Oh, no." He turned to Charlotte and admitted, "I forgot. The whole practice is going out for drinks-"

"And dinner," Violet added, rubbing her big belly. "I'm starving!"

Cooper looked between the two women and felt torn. On one hand, he'd promised Violet he'd come out with the group and act as the buffer between her and Pete, but on the other hand, he craved quality time with Charlotte. "I'm sorry," he said, unsure which woman he was apologizing to.

Charlotte saw his struggle and decided to take pity on him. "So, where are we going?" She smiled at his surprised expression and teased him, "What? I'm not invited?"

"No, of course you're invited," he stammered. "Uh, we're going to Melrose. It's a little place by the ocean." He remembered her request and swore, "Their steaks are amazing."

Violet tried to hide her disappointment. "So, you're coming?"

Charlotte smirked at her. "Try looking a little less devastated."

The fifteen minute drive to the restaurant was uneventful. Violet rode with Cooper while Charlotte followed behind in her own car. They parked side-by-side in the parking lot and walked inside together. Charlotte held onto Cooper's arm, leaning into him, and whispered naughty things in his ear. He would grin and blush, then laugh when she'd playfully bumps their hips together.

Violet rolled her eyes at their childish display. She could only stomach so much, so she decided to walk ahead and scan the crowded dining room for the Oceanside group. She quickly spotted her co-workers sitting around four tables they'd pushed together in the center of the room. "They're over there," Violet announced, then made a quick beeline for the buffet table.

"I think she smelled sausage," Charlotte whispered.

Cooper laughed, "Be nice."

"I'm always nice," she hissed, giving his buttocks a hard pinch. He yelped and knocked her hand aside. Charlotte's smile grew when she saw him blush, but then suddenly, his entire demeanor darkened. She followed his line of vision and her heart dropped into her stomach.

Across the dining room, Landry was sitting at the table beside Addison. He was leaning into her personal space with his arm slung around her shoulders. He looked just like one of the group, talking and laughing and carrying on over a couple of drinks.

Charlotte stood rooted to the spot and stared in shock. "I don't understand." She shook her head and stammered, "I told, I told Montgomery." She started backing away. "I told Montgomery to stay away."

Cooper watched the brightness completely disappear from her face. Her happy, carefree smile was gone. She looked both physically and emotionally upset.

Landry spotted his sister from across the room and stood up. "Charlotte! Cooper!" He gave a great big smile as he motioned them over to the table. "Over here!"

Cooper plastered a friendly smile onto his face. He took hold of Charlotte's elbow and steered her forward. She didn't resist, but her steps were small and measured like a child trying to stall. When they finally reached the table, they were immediately greeted by everyone. Landry was the most exuberant.

"Hey, little sister! I didn't know ya'll were coming tonight." He rounded the table and pulled out a chair for Charlotte. She sat down without acknowledging him, so Landry turned his attention onto Cooper. He clapped him on the back like they were the best of friends and said, "Hell of a surprise."

"That's for sure," Cooper agreed with a taut smile. He took the seat next to Charlotte and found her hand underneath the table. He could tell she was numb from the shock, and even though he didn't necessarily understand, he wanted to support her. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

At Pete and Naomi's urging, Landry jumped back into a story he'd been telling before their arrival. Cooper had trouble following the thread, but he still felt himself being pulled into Landry's orbit. He was a larger than life storyteller and held everyone's rapt attention. As Landry neared the climax of his story, he became louder and more animated. He talked with his hands until one hand found its way around Addison's shoulders. She immediately leaned into him and smiled. She didn't take her eyes off him until he yielded the floor. The group was laughing so hard that they were close to tears and attracting attention from the other patrons.

Cooper smiled despite himself. He glanced over at Charlotte to find her doing the same. She had obviously enjoyed her brother's outlandish story, but her smile faded as soon as Landry tightened his grip around Addison's shoulders. The new couple gazed at each other, each touching the other in some small way. It was outwardly sweet and intimate, but seemed to set Charlotte on edge.

Cooper leaned toward her and whispered, "You okay?"

"I'm fine," was her automatic response.

A young, twenty-something waitress bounded up to their table. She smiled and introduced herself, then asked, "What does everyone want to drink?"

The group went around the table placing their drink orders. When it was Addison's turn, she perused the drink menu before making her decision. "I'll have a scotch on the rocks-"

Landry interrupted her, "Scratch that." He took the drink menu from her and said to the waitress, "Bring the lady a Mint Julep."

Addison immediately objected, "I don't like Bourbon-"

"Trust me." Landry handed her menu to the waitress and said, "You'll change your mind after you taste it." He turned his most charming smile onto Addison until she smiled back and nodded her consent. Landry rewarded her decision with a kiss on the cheek.

When Charlotte saw that, she abruptly stood from the table. "Excuse me." She quickly fled across the dining room and into to the ladies room. She paced back and forth a few times, then braced herself against the sink. She turned on the faucet and splashed her face with cold water.

Charlotte startled when she heard a toilet flush. Seconds later, Violet emerged from one of the stalls. "This kid is using my bladder as a trampoline," she announced, rubbing her big belly. She approached the sink and started to wash her hands, but hesitated when she took a good look at the other woman. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Mind your own business, Turner." Charlotte turned off the sink and patted her face dry with a paper towel. "I'm not one of your patients."

"And thank God for that," Violet deadpanned.

Charlotte smirked at the other woman but turned to leave without another word. She pushed open the door and found Cooper waiting for her on the other side. He looked deeply concerned. "Are you okay? What happened back there?"

"I can't sit there and pretend it's okay." Charlotte crossed her arms to hide the fact her hands were shaking. "I refuse to stick my head in the sand."

Comprehension dawned on Cooper and he realized, "This is about Landry and Addison." He was quickly becoming frustrated with her erratic behavior and demanded, "Why do you let this bother you so much?"

"You heard Landry-"

"He's laying it on pretty thick, I'll grant you that, but I'm sure he just wants _his girlfriend's friends_ to like him. There's nothing wrong with that."

Charlotte shook her head as she came to her own realization, "You're as clueless as the rest of them."

"Enlighten me, then."

Charlotte hated being sassed. She opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind, but at the last second, thought better of it. She didn't want to trade insults with Cooper and she certainly didn't want to fight with him. After a few deep breaths, she got control over her emotions and offered a truce, "I'm going to the hotel. You can come with me now or you can come later, but I'm leaving."

Cooper sighed, "What I am supposed to tell everyone?"

"They're good at seeing what they want to see." Charlotte added, "I'm sure they'll come to their own conclusions."

Cooper watched her turn and walk out of the restaurant. He knew Charlotte well enough to know she wasn't coming back. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to discover Violet standing behind him. At some point during the argument, she'd emerged from the ladies' room and crept up behind the couple. Cooper offered her a weak smile and asked, "How much of that did you overhear?"

"Not much." Cooper fixed her with skeptical look until she admitted, "Okay, all of it." Violet set aside her personal feelings for the other woman and made a professional observation, "Charlotte doesn't seem like herself right now."

"She's having trouble sleeping." Cooper trivialized her bad behavior without a second thought, "She's exhausted and irritable, and taking it out on everyone around her."

Violet was surprised by her friend's tunnel vision. As a mental health professional, she understood that insomnia was the physical manifestation of a deeper problem. She offered Cooper a little unsolicited advice, "Don't confuse the cause with the effect -- Charlotte may be short-tempered because of the insomnia, but you need to ask yourself what's causing the insomnia -- because that's the root of her problem."

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A/N: Sorry about the delay! I had college midterms this week...But REVIEWS will make me feel better!


	5. Running Scared

**Chapter Five: Running Scared**

_"I'm hungry." Five-year old Charlotte King nudged her older brother and asked, "Did you hear me, Landry? I'm hungry."_

_At eight, Landry was used to being pestered by his little sister. "Hush up," he told her. "I'm watching my show."_

_Charlotte tried to be quiet but the black and white western didn't hold her attention for very long. She started to get restless and fidget, then finally got between her brother and the television set. "It's past supper time."_

_Landry pushed her aside and griped, "Hold your horses. Momma will make supper when she wakes up." _

_"But I'm hungry now." _

_Charlotte __stayed in her brother's face, tugging on his sleeve and constantly interrupting him until he got fed up. "I'll fix you a ham sandwich if you stop bugging me." When she agreed, Landry stood up and trudged into the kitchen. He pulled the__ bread out of the cupboard and the lunch meat out of the fridge. As he startled to assemble the snack, he noticed his little sister languishing in the doorway. He instructed her, "Go sit yourself at the table and I'll bring it to you."_

_Charlotte walked over to the kitchen table and climbed into her usual chair. She swiveled around to watch Landry. "I don't want any lettuce," she fretted. _

_"Greens are good for you." Landry brought her the sandwich and told her in no uncertain terms, "You'll eat it and you'll like it." __Charlotte was really hungry and she knew better than to argue with him. She picked up the sandwich and ate the whole thing under Landry's watchful eye. He brought her a glass of milk to help wash it down and then told her, "I'm gonna go check on Momma."_

_Landry turned and walked out of the kitchen, through the living room, and up the stairs. The door to their parents' bedroom was open but Landry knocked anyway. "Momma?" When he didn't get a response, he knocked a little louder. "Momma, it's past supper time." Landry took a hesitant step inside the room. His mother was lying in bed with her back toward him. "It's past supper time, Momma." He circled the bed and got his first real look at his mother. Her eyes were closed and she appeared to be asleep, but her face was unusually pale. An empty scotch bottle was lying beside her and Landry noticed a near-empty prescription bottle sitting on the nightstand. _

_Landry laid his hand on his mother's shoulder and shook her. "Momma, wake up." When his mother didn't move or even respond, he shook her a little harder. "Momma!" He shook her so hard that the scotch bottle rolled off the bed and shattered on the hardwood floor. _

_Charlotte heard the commotion from downstairs and came running. She appeared in the doorway, her green eyes wide with fear, and asked, "What's wrong with Momma?"_

_Landry was trembling but he kept his wits about him. He yelled to his sister, "Run to the stable and get Big Daddy!" Tears welled up in Charlotte's eyes and she didn't move, prompting Landry to holler, "Now! Charlotte! Now!"_

_Landry's screaming woke their baby brother down the hall and he immediately started to wail. His shrieks were loud and piercing, and echoed in the otherwise quiet house. Charlotte's face slowly crumpled and her tears spilled over. She broke down sobbing until Landry tore across the bedroom and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Stop that, Charlotte," he screamed at her. "Stop that crying and go get Big Daddy!" Charlotte just cried harder which further enraged him. "Stop that crying or I'll give you something to cry about!" _

_All of the crying overwhelmed Landry and he just wanted it to stop. He grabbed his sister and shook her so hard--_

"Charlotte! Wake up!" Charlotte was jarred awake by someone shaking her. She was sweaty and trembling, but felt instant relief when she opened her eyes and saw Cooper standing over her. He switched on the bedside lamp, bathing the hotel room in a soft glow. His brow was creased with worry and he looked scared for her. "Charlotte." He sat on the edge of the bed and cupped her damp cheek in his hand. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"A dream," she said, still catching her breath. "I had a bad dream."

Cooper helped her sit up and gently rubbed her back. Very slowly, the color returned to her face and her heart rate slowed. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." Charlotte pushed back the bed covers, inadvertently revealing a couple miniature liquor bottles she'd taken from the minibar.

Cooper saw them and frowned. "How much have you had to drink?"

"I'm not drunk." The loudness of her own voice made Charlotte's head begin to throb. She pressed a hand against her temple and amended herself, "I'm hungover."

"Are you going to be sick?"

"I'll be fine." Charlotte took a couple deep breaths and said, "I just need some coffee." She braced her hand on the bedside table and stood up almost in slow motion. She swayed a little on her feet but managed to stay upright. Her hand braced on the bedside table made her notice the clock. "It's almost five." She looked at Cooper and asked, "Are you just getting here?"

"After dinner, Pete suggested that the guys check out a couple local bars."

Charlotte caught a whiff of Cooper's jacket and commented, "I'm not the only one that smells like the inside of a whiskey bottle."

He gave a sheepish smile. "I should probably ask Room Service to make our coffee extra strong, huh?"

Charlotte had wobbled inside the bathroom and shut the door, but she called out, "Get me some grits and toast!"

"Really? For a hangover?" Cooper picked up the phone and started to dial down to the front desk.

"And sausage!"

He groaned, "Okay, now that's just gross."

Room Service answered on the second ring and Cooper placed their breakfast order. He didn't think he could stomach more than a fruit cup, but he made sure to emphasize the importance of strong coffee. After ordering, Cooper hung up the phone and flopped back onto the bed. He was exhausted and could barely keep his eyes open. He heard Charlotte start the water in the bathroom and realized she was going to take a shower. He thought about joining her, but he was too tired to move. He spent the next forty-five minutes dozing.

Cooper roused when he heard a knock at the door. "Room Service!" He rolled off the bed, hurried to the door and opened it. A young man was standing on the other side with a hotel food cart. Cooper knew the meal would automatically be charged to the room but he slipped the man a small tip anyway. He closed the door and rolled the cart into the sitting room.

When Charlotte opened the bathroom door, a billow of warm steam escaped around her. Cooper smiled when he saw she was wearing the complimentary hotel bathrobe and nothing else. Her hair had been pulled back into a wet ponytail and her face had been scrubbed clean of any make-up. "Get it while it's hot," he told her, uncovering their meal and pouring the coffee.

Charlotte could smell the coffee from across the room. "That'll do the trick," she commented.

The couple sat in comfortable silence and nursed their hangovers. The coffee helped. It was strong and potent, and delivered a necessary kick of energy. Charlotte attacked her big breakfast with jaw-dropping enthusiasm. She made quick work of everything. It was only after she'd cleaned her plate that Cooper remembered she'd bowed out of dinner the night before and probably hadn't eaten anything at the hotel. He offered her part of his fruit cup.

"No thanks," she said, opting instead to pour herself another cup of coffee.

Cooper motioned to the sun streaming through the bay windows and said, "It's a beautiful Saturday morning." An idea occurred to him. "We should go to the beach."

Charlotte made a noncommittal sound, then told him, "I always go running on Saturdays."

"You're joking, right?"

"It helps me clear my head." Charlotte smiled at his obvious contempt for painful exercise and said, "You're welcome to tag along."

"Now you're joking!"

But Charlotte wasn't joking and two hours later, Cooper found himself trailing behind his girlfriend. His male ego had spurred him on the first mile and sheer desperation had kept him going for the second, but exhaustion was starting to trump his pride. He'd fallen out of stride with Charlotte about ten minutes ago and even though he had a nice view of her ass, he found he was too winded to enjoy it. He was gasping for air like a fish out of water and finally collapsed onto the sand. "Charlotte!" he gasped. "Stop!"

Charlotte turned and jogged back. She ran in place beside his limp body and tried to encourage him, "Don't give up now. We're just starting to feel the burn."

"I felt the burn two miles ago," Cooper wheezed. "I need to stop."

"It's all in your head," she insisted. "Push through the pain." Cooper doubled over and started coughing, prompting her to rethink her tough love. She could tell he was tapped out, so she decided to take pity on him. "Ten minute break," she announced, sitting down beside him.

"Bless you," he gasped, weakly reaching out and patting her leg.

Charlotte stretched out beside him. The morning sun was beating down on them and heating the sand. It felt nice to stop and rest but after few minutes, Charlotte became restless. She rolled onto her stomach and studied Cooper's face. His eyes were closed and he looked blissfully happy to be lying in the warm sun. He reminded Charlotte of a lazy house cat, and she told him just that.

They shared a laugh and Cooper relished seeing her smile. Before he could stop himself, the words came tumbling out of his mouth, "I love you, you know."

Charlotte surprised the hell out of him when she nodded, and said, "I know." She turned and gazed out over the calm, blue ocean. Her smile died on her lips and she fell into troubled thoughts.

Cooper watched the inner turmoil play out across her pretty face. He cupped her cheek in his hand and said, "A penny for your thoughts."

"I'm just so tired," she sighed. "I'm so tired of always being cast as the bad guy."

"No one thinks that-"

"Montgomery does." Charlotte looked at him and he could see the whirlwind of emotion in her eyes. "Montgomery has known Landry for a week and she already gives him the benefit of the doubt."

"You should talk to Addison if their relationship bothers you so much."

"I already tried that." Underneath her breath, she snarled, "Hell of a lot of good that did me."

Cooper hesitated but ultimately felt compelled to make a suggestion, "Addison might listen if you approach her differently."

"What are you getting at?"

"You barged into her office and swore at her." Cooper grimaced as he spoke the God's honest truth, "If you'd come at me like that, I wouldn't have listened either."

Charlotte fell quiet and he could tell she was actually considering his advice. "You think it would make a difference?"

"It couldn't hurt."

When Charlotte made up her mind to do something, she was an unstoppable force of nature. Cooper could see the steely determination in her face. She was fully committed to having a calm and rational conversation with Addison, and that was something Cooper was happy to facilitate. "Addison's house is another half-mile down the beach." He was quick to add, "I'll wait here."

Without Cooper to slow her down, Charlotte reached Addison's house in six minutes flat. She took a deep breath to compose her thoughts, then knocked on the sliding glass door.

A pair of curious blue eyes peeked out from behind the blinds, then the sliding glass door opened. "Charlotte." Addison looked surprised to find the blond standing on her back deck. "What are you doing here?" She faltered and asked, "Wait. How do you know where I live?"

Charlotte bypassed her questions and got straight to the point, "I'm here to apologize." As much as it pained her, she gritted her teeth and choked out, "I'm sorry for losing my temper and swearing at you-"

"And threatening me," Addison supplied.

"I wasn't threatening you." Charlotte wanted the other woman to understand. She took a couple deep breaths and tried to level with her, "I was trying to warn you, but clearly, I went about it all wrong."

Addison's interest was piqued and she opened the sliding glass door another couple inches. "What are you talking about?"

Charlotte had her full attention and knew it was now or never. "I need to talk to you about-" She startled and jumped when Landry suddenly appeared in the doorway behind Addison. He wrapped his arms possessively around her waist and said, "Hey, little sister."

His friendly smile didn't fool Charlotte. Unlike Addison, she knew better. "Landry."

"He came over to cook me breakfast." Addison leaned into Landry's embrace. She craned her neck around to smile at him, then faced forward to tell Charlotte, "He made your grandmother's biscuit recipe." She put enormous emphasis on her next statement, "They were _amazing_."

"Homemade is always better than store-bought." Landry nudged her, "Am I right, Addie?"

"Definitely." Addison agreed without hesitation and that bothered Charlotte more than anything else. She literally felt sick to her stomach. She was nauseous and upset, and couldn't swallow her emotions fast enough. Addison noticed the obvious changes in Charlotte's demeanor and asked, "Are you alright? You look pale."

"Oh, I'm sure she's just tired." Landry smiled at Charlotte and prompted her, "Isn't that right, little sister?"

Addison had her back to Landry so she couldn't see his face. Moreover, he knew it. Landry fixed his sister with a stare that stopped just short of threatening until she gave him the answer he wanted to hear, "I'm just tired." When Addison didn't look convinced, Charlotte was quick to reassure her. "Really, Montgomery. I'm fine."

"Do you want to come inside?" Addison offered, "I can get you something to drink."

Charlotte saw tiny cracks forming in Landry's carefully-maintained facade. His eyes had turned cold and his jaw rhythmically clenched. She saw his forearm tighten around Addison's waist, pulling her possessively towards him. "No, no. That's not necessary." Landry's grip loosened somewhat and Charlotte knew it was in Addison's best interest for her to make a quick exit. "I should go." She took a couple cagey steps backwards and said, "Cooper is waiting for me."

Addison instinctively felt that something was wrong. She watched Charlotte's hurried retreat and called out after her, "Wait. You said you needed to talk to me about something-"

Charlotte immediately waved her off. "It's nothing. Forget I said anything."

Addison didn't take the hint. She pressed the blond, "It sounded important-"

"Just drop it, Montgomery." Charlotte tried to keep her voice light and airy, but the underlying tension broke through. She tried to keep up appearances and act as if nothing was wrong. She waved to the couple and apologized for interrupting their breakfast, then turned and fled.

As soon as Charlotte's tennis shoes hit the sand, she started jogging as fast as she could. She didn't look back. She ran at full speed, kicking up sand and splattering water onto the backs of her legs. Her thighs burned from the unexpected sprint, but she didn't stop or even slow.

Further down the beach, Cooper had taken off his shoes to wade in the water. He was enjoying the beautiful scenery when he looked up and noticed Charlotte barreling towards him. He immediately knew something was wrong. That feeling was confirmed minutes later when Charlotte blew right past him, barely slowing long enough to breathlessly shout, "Race you to the hotel!"

The desperate, frenzied way Charlotte was running struck Cooper as odd. It wasn't the way a person ran for exercise or for clarity; Charlotte was running like she was being chased and couldn't get away fast enough.

**...TBC...**

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A/N: Sorry about the long delay. This chapter was important and I had trouble striking the right mood...REVIEWS PUT A SMILE ON MY FACE!


	6. Outcry Witness

**Chapter Six: Outcry Witness**

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**Please Note: **This chapter contains two scenes that are occurring SIMULTANEOUSLY!

* * *

Violet was in hog heaven. She was lounging on her living room sofa, dressed in her pajamas, with a roast beef sandwich balanced on her stomach. She had a pint of pistachio ice cream on standby and a marathon of _America's Next Top Model_ on television. Pregnant or not, it was her ideal Saturday night.

"Eliminate her!" she yelled at the television around a mouthful of sandwich. "She's not fierce! She doesn't deserve it!" Violet licked the horseradish sauce off her fingers, then held her breath as the four remaining models stepped forward. Tyra was holding three pictures and by process of elimination, Violet's hopes were slowly dashed. "Come on!" She flopped back against the couch and argued, "That was such a bad call!"

Violet jumped and nearly dropped her sandwich when a loud knock sounded at the front door. It was well after midnight and she wasn't expecting anyone. With a groan, she struggled to her feet and waddled to the door. "Come on, Cooper! Stop losing your key!" Violet threw open the door and was surprised to find not Cooper, but rather Charlotte standing on her doorstep.

The blond looked like she'd rolled out of bed and gotten dressed in the dark. Her hair was messy and she wasn't wearing a spot of make-up. The dark circles underneath her eyes were pronounced as she said, "I need to talk to you -- As a therapist."

X

_Addison ignored Landry's staunch objections and refilled her wine glass for the third time. She was toeing the line between tipsy and drunk, and felt annoyed that Landry was digging in his heels. He was still sober as a judge and refused to drink any more to help level the playing field. "Come on," she cajoled him. "Another glass won't kill you."_

_Landry was still smiling but the smile was gone from his eyes. "I'm not a big drinker," he said for what felt like the hundredth time that night. "And unless you want to wake up in your own sick, I suggest you slow down too."_

_"It's Saturday night." She emptied her glass halfway and said, "I'm relaxing."_

_"You're slurring your words."_

_"What's the big deal?" All of the warning signs were there, but Addison was too drunk to notice them. "Come on, Landry." She picked up the wine bottle and reached across the table to refill his glass. "Don't be such a stick in the mud."_

_He startled her when he roughly pushed her hand aside and barked, "I said no."_

_X_

Charlotte didn't wait for an invitation to step inside. She walked past Violet and into the living room, helping herself to a seat on the couch. "I know it's late." Charlotte found the remote control between the sofa cushions and shut off the television without stopping to ask permission. "But I need to talk to someone right now."

Violet was reluctant to involve herself, so she suggested, "Talk to Cooper."

Charlotte didn't beat around the bush. She was blunt and to the point. "I need someone with privilege."

"No way." Violet shook her head more times than actually necessary. "I agree that you need a good shrink, but it cannot be me."

"I'm prepared to write you a check." Charlotte reached into her purse and pulled out her checkbook and a pen. She looked up at Violet and simply said, "Name your price."

X

_Addison startled and dropped the bottle of wine. It clattered against the table top, making them both jump to their feet as wine spilled everywhere. Red wine sloshed onto the floor and into their laps, but the majority of it soaked into the white linen table cloth. _

_"Damn it!" Landry quickly righted the bottle. "Just look what you did!" He was fast on his feet and grabbed a handful of paper towels from the kitchen. He bent down __and vigorously scrubbed the carpet before the stain could set in. The tablecloth was already a lost cause. "I warned you," he told Addison. "I warned you to cut it out."_

_"I'm sorry." She helped clean up the mess but wouldn't meet his gaze. The outburst had sobered her up and she was trying to decide how best to end the date and get Landry out of her house as quickly as possible. _

_X_

Violet refused to name a price and hoped that would be the end of it. Charlotte, however, wasn't so easily deterred. She ripped out a blank check and tucked it underneath the pint of ice cream on the coffee table. "You can decide on an amount later." She could see that Violet was about to refuse her again, so Charlotte swallowed her pride and choked out, "Please, Turner, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't important."

X

_Landry's apology seemed to come out of nowhere. "I'm sorry, Addie." He looked deep into her eyes and said with the utmost sincerity, "I didn't mean to snap at you."_

_"Thank you for helping me clean up," she said briskly. "But it's getting late and I think you should leave."_

X

Violet could see the desperation in Charlotte's face. It was a look she'd seen many times before in her line of work, so the serious implications weren't lost on her. Against her better judgment, she said, "I won't accept your money -- But I will listen."

"Damn, Turner." Charlotte tried to cover her obvious relief with a joke, "I didn't expect you to fold so soon." The decision sunk in and she turned abruptly serious. "Thank you."

Violet lowered herself into a chair opposite the couch. She picked up her TV guide magazine from the coffee table and the crossword pencil lying beside it. With her pencil poised over an empty margin, she said in her most professional voice, "Tell me what's on your mind."

X

_Addison flinched when Landry stepped toward her and touched her face. "I'm really sorry." He tenderly stroked her cheek and swore, "I didn't mean to get cross with you."_

_He coaxed a little smile out of Addison even as she insisted, "It's not okay -- You scared me."_

_"I know and I'm sorry." Landry pulled her into a hug and held her with reverence. "Can you forgive me?"_

X

Charlotte's emotions were in turmoil. She felt guilty and conflicted, and a million other things she couldn't even begin to identify. Her heart physically ached at the thought of what she was about to do. Even still, she wanted Violet to know, "Landry is my brother -- I love him."

"Of course you do."

"I love him," Charlotte repeated, her voice hoarse with emotion. "But I don't like him."

X

_Addison wasn't sure if she could forgive and forget. "I don't know-"_

_Landry saw her hesitation and made the calculated decision to reveal, "My Momma is an alcoholic." He watched her face and knew the second he had her sympathy. He immediately took it and twisted it to his advantage. "I have a lot of bad memories where drinking is concerned, so it's a sensitive subject. I don't like seeing people drink themselves silly." _

_"I had no idea," she said honestly. She searched for the right words to express herself, but came up blank. "I don't know what to say."_

_Landry didn't hesitate. __"Say you'll forgive me."_

X

Violet was stunned and had Charlotte repeat herself. "I don't like my brother."

"Can I ask why not?" the therapist inquired, somewhat incredulous.

"My family is fiercely loyal." Charlotte took a deep breath. The was killing her, but she knew it was necessary. "We take care of our own -- And Big Daddy took care of Landry."

Violet had the sinking feeling she'd stumbled upon a minefield. She was almost afraid to ask, "How so?"

It was now or never, so Charlotte made herself say it before she lost her nerve. "He made things disappear."

X

_Addison understood dysfunctional parents and the scars they leave. It would be hypocritical, she reasoned, to condemn Landry for something he had no control over. She gave him a little smile and told him, "I think I can forgive you."_

X

Violet's eyebrows went up. "Your father made things disappear?" The phrasing was so bizarre that she immediately expected some kind of explanation. When one wasn't forthcoming, she pressed the other woman, "Charlotte, what did your father cover up?"

Charlotte looked up at the ceiling and down at the floor. She was painfully aware of the fact she was about to betray her family trust. Charlotte took a few calming deep breaths, horrified to find herself close to tears. Her voice came out a hoarse whisper as she confessed, "There were incidents."

The open display of emotion surprised Violet and she tried to be gentle. "What kinds of incidents?"

Charlotte closed her eyes and the tears slid down her face. "Domestic incidents...with girlfriends."

X

_Landry pulled Addison close and smiled to himself. "You won't regret this." He kissed her cheek and whispered, "I'm gonna treat you so good."_

**...TBC...**

* * *

**A/N:** I realize the format of this chapter is strange, but I thought these scenes were interesting parallels...REVIEWS MAKE ME WANT TO WRITE MORE!


	7. Good Intentions

**Chapter Seven: Good Intentions**

It was early morning when Charlotte finally returned to the hotel. She was both physically and emotionally exhausted from her late-night conversation with Violet but to her surprise, she also felt an enormous sense of relief. The overwhelming anxiety she'd carried around for the past week was gone. The sick, nauseous feeling in the pit of her stomach had settled. Her conscience was clear and unburdened. She would never admit it but talking things through had actually helped.

Charlotte toed off her shoes by the door and padded barefoot into the bedroom. She changed her clothes in the dark so not to disturb Cooper, then eased into bed beside him. Their bodies touched and she found comfort almost immediately. Charlotte gravitated towards him. She turned onto her side and maneuvered one leg between his, then slung an arm across his chest. Her face nuzzled his collarbone once, twice, three times before finding a niche in the crook of his neck. She relaxed against him and closed her eyes. She was surrounded by warmth and comfort, and felt herself being lulled to sleep.

Almost unconsciously, to soothe herself, Charlotte's fingernails began lightly scratching over his chest. She was kneading him with lazy enjoyment but after a few minutes, it was enough to wake him. Cooper came around slowly and smiled at the reality he found himself in. "Nice kitty," he murmured, still half-asleep. "Watch the claws."

Charlotte was drowsy and lethargic, but responded immediately to the low rumble of his voice. She tightened her grip around him, pulling him even closer, and released a little contented sigh. Her breath was warm against his neck. She felt so comfortable and cared for, so special, that her guard slipped down completely. "Coop?" She closed her eyes and whispered, "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

Charlotte shifted against him and her pulse quickened. She licked her lips. "Today, on the beach, you said you loved me." Her request was simple. "Say it again."

Cooper was surprised but he didn't hesitate. "I love you, Charlotte."

"No matter what?"

He didn't understand her sudden need for reassurance but he wanted to give it to her. "No matter what."

Charlotte hid her face against his shoulder. She released a shaky, tremulous breath and whispered, "Thank you. I really needed to hear that."

Bells and whistles were going off in Cooper's head. Charlotte's behavior was completely out of character. She was needy and clingy and insecure, and Charlotte King wasn't an insecure person by nature. Far from it, actually. Cooper realized he needed to stop pretending. There was something wrong with Charlotte and it wasn't being caused by stress or lack of sleep. He needed to stop making excuses and face the truth. Whatever that truth might be.

Cooper rubbed Charlotte's back until he felt her relax. She obviously trusted him to some degree. "Charlotte, we need to talk."

"I've done enough talking for tonight."

Charlotte was exhausted, so it took her a second to realize her mistake. Cooper, however, was faster on the uptake. "We ate dinner and went to bed early. We never talked."

Charlotte was too tired to lie her way out of trouble, so she decided to see where the truth would get her. "Last night, after you fell asleep, I snuck out of the hotel room." She felt his sharp intake of breath and rushed to explain further before he jumped to any conclusions. "I went to see Violet and we talked."

Cooper had mixed emotions. Part of him was incredibly proud of Charlotte for recognizing she needed help and reaching out to someone. In his selfish heart, however, he couldn't understand why that someone wasn't him. "I thought you hated Violet."

"I hate you living with her."

"Come on, Charlotte," he groaned. He couldn't believe they were having this discussion again. "It's only temporary. She needs me right now."

Charlotte pulled away from him. She turned onto her side with her back facing him. Very quietly, he heard her say, "I need you right now, too."

When her words sunk in, Cooper immediately closed the distance between them. He rested his chin on her shoulder and told her, "I'm here for you."

"Only when Violet doesn't need you." Charlotte buried her face in her pillow and whispered, "I'm the afterthought."

"That's not true!" he argued.

"It feels true."

Cooper laid his hand on the flare of her hip and said, "Charlotte, look at me." She acquiesced and rolled over, but refused to meet his gaze. "Look at me." Cooper put his hand underneath her chin and tipped her head up to meet his gaze. Her eyes were dark and cloudy, and full of emotion. "Is my relationship with Violet the big issue? Is that why you're so upset?"

Charlotte knew she had the perfect scapegoat. She could blame her behavior on Violet and the subject would be dropped. It was tempting. But then, Charlotte thought about how Violet had spent the entire night helping her, listening without judgement, and she just couldn't do it. Her conscience wouldn't allow it. "As much as I hate you living with Violet, she isn't the reason I've been distracted lately."

"Distracted?" Cooper was incredulous. He wanted her to be honest with herself. "Distracted isn't the word I'd use at all."

Charlotte arched an eyebrow and challenged him, "What word would you use?"

"Nervous. Distraught. Anxious."

The words hit home, but Charlotte covered herself with a lame joke, "I only asked for one word."

"Come on, Char." He kept his tone gentle and tried to appeal to her, "Please tell me what's wrong -- I want to help."

"You can't help me."

Cooper was crushed and it showed on his face. "So, you can talk to Violet but not to me?"

Charlotte knew but sometimes forgot that Cooper wore his heart on his sleeve. He was sensitive and caring, and very in touch with his emotions. In that moment, she could look into his face and plainly see the hurt she'd caused. It made her realize she needed to work harder to safeguard his delicate feelings. "I'm sorry." Charlotte reached up and touched his cheek. His morning stubble was rough and scratchy against her palm. "I didn't mean to be so harsh."

"I'm not mad." Cooper turned to kiss the inside of her wrist. "I just feel helpless."

"Honestly," Charlotte told him. "What you're doing right now is the biggest help."

"Kissing your wrist?"

"No." She gave him a little shove for being a smart ass. "You're being sweet and understanding."

Cooper beamed at the compliment but wasn't the least bit deterred. "I could do so much more if you'd talk to me."

Charlotte looked into his hopeful, eager eyes and knew she needed to give him something. He would be hurt if she refused. She thought about shading the truth or just plain lying, but yet again, she decided to see where the truth would get her. "I want to talk to you, Coop, but sometimes people hold things back to protect the people they love."

Cooper's entire demeanor changed in the blink of an eye. He grinned like an idiot and took great pleasure in telling her, "You just admitted you loved me."

"I guess I did." Charlotte watched Cooper's reaction. He smiled and laughed, and looked thrilled beyond all measure. Hearing those three little words, in some form, had obviously meant a great deal to him. His giddy excitement took over and he focused all his attention on kissing her and holding her, and reciprocating that new love. Their conversation fell somewhere by the wayside.

Monday morning, Cooper came into work with an extra bounce in his step. He walked right up beside Violet at the reception desk and greeted her, "Good morning!"

Violet turned to look at him. She seemed disturbed by his giddiness so early in the morning. "What's gotten into you?"

"Charlotte told me she loves me!"

Violet was honestly impressed with Charlotte. The woman had confronted her family issues and her intimacy issues all in one night. She was making huge steps forward, really by leaps and bounds, towards a happier life. "I'm happy for you." Violet looked sideways at her friend and wondered how much he knew about the current situation. Patient confidentiality prohibited her from even mentioning Charlotte's midnight session. She refused to violate her ethics and risk compromising a fluid situation, but Violet was still curious. She tried to pose the question in a seemingly innocent manner, "So, how is Charlotte?"

"Drop the act." Cooper grinned at her as he leafed through his phone messages. "She told me she talked to you."

"Oh." Violet was genuinely surprised and fished for more information, "Did she tell you why?"

"Nope." Cooper's dopey smile grew bigger. "But I trust her judgment."

"She hasn't told you anything?"

"She told me she loves me." Cooper pocketed his messages with a smile. "And that's all I really need to know."

The elevator announced its arrival at the floor, and Addison and Landry stepped off together. They were holding hands and smiling at each other. Violet noticed the couple first, but she said nothing and chose not to acknowledge them. When Cooper spotted them, he greeted the couple with over-the-top exuberance, "Good morning!"

Landry took his eyes off Addison long enough to smile at Cooper. "Yes, it certainly is." He turned his charming smile onto Violet and said, "Ma'am."

"Hello," was her forced, obligatory reply.

Cooper was on cloud nine, so he barely noticed Violet's apprehension. "Did you guys have a nice weekend?"

"It was perfect." Landry looked to Addison for confirmation. "Am I right, Sugar?"

"You're right."

Landry wrapped his arm around Addison's shoulders and prompted her, "Show them what I gave you."

Addison seemed a little uncomfortable at the prospect of showing off, but she obliged him. She tucked her hair behind her ears to reveal a beautiful pair of diamond earrings. "Landry surprised me this morning."

Cooper didn't know anything about jewelry, but one look at those earrings told him he could never afford them. "You're making the rest of us look bad," he told Landry with a laugh. "Charlotte's going to see those and expect something."

"Sorry, man," Landry chuckled. "But Addie deserved them."

Addison revealed, "They're an apology for our first fight-"

"Addie," he admonished her. "They don't want to hear about that."

"I do," Violet spoke up.

Everyone looked at her strangely until Cooper took custody of the conversation. He'd noticed the way Landry always had his arms on Addison and wanted to comment, "You guys are such an amazing couple." His thoughts naturally strayed to Charlotte, then to Charlotte's relationship with Landry. To him, an only child, it seemed so wrong that siblings could be indifferent to each other. Cooper wished he could fix their relationship. Surely, that would be a greater gift to Charlotte than a pair of diamond earrings. An idea occurred to him and he appealed to Landry, "I think we should have dinner tonight -- the four of us."

"The four of us?"

"You, Addison, me, and Charlotte." Cooper became more excited as the plan took shape in his mind. "We'll have a nice dinner and get to know each other." Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Violet making a strange face. He made a mental note to ask her about it later. "So, what do you think?"

"I don't know," Landry hedged. "Addie and I already have plans-"

"Come on," Cooper goaded him. "You've been in town for a week and you haven't spent any time with your sister."

Landry looked to be getting annoyed with him, but Addison spoke up, "I wouldn't mind."

"Good. It's settled." Cooper grinned triumphantly. "Dinner tonight at Charlotte's house. Eight o'clock."

A tight smile played across Landry's face. His jaw tensed. "I can't wait."

Addison looked at her watch and politely excused the couple. When Cooper and Violet were alone again, he expounded his brilliance. "This is going to be so great! I'll get Landry and Charlotte talking over dinner, and maybe they can patch up their relationship."

Violet was panicking on the inside. Cooper's intentions were good and honorable, but he'd just unwittingly arranged to send Charlotte to the slaughter. And by law, she wasn't allowed to say a damn thing.

**...TBC...**

* * *

A/N: I have one word for the next chapter: Ka-Boom!


	8. Standing Tall Pt 1

**Chapter Eight: Standing Tall Pt. 1**

It was nearing eight o'clock when Charlotte finally arrived home. She unlocked her front door, took a step inside and froze on the spot. A delicious smell assaulted her. It was heavenly and absolutely mouth-watering. It took her right back to her childhood. It was reminiscent of her Momma's home cooking, so she suspected Landry was somewhere nearby. Just as Charlotte had been her father's daughter, Landry had belonged to their mother. He'd spent more time in the house than other little boys. He could duplicate their old family recipes better than anyone.

Charlotte set her purse on the hall table and walked towards the kitchen. As she neared closer, she heard two distinct voices engaged in a conversation. Charlotte quickly recognized one of those voices as belonging to Cooper. His female companion, however, was an unknown. Something like jealousy coiled in the pit of her stomach, and Charlotte found herself walking quietly so she could catch them unaware. She pushed open the swinging door, ready for a hair-pulling fight, only to discover Cooper was alone. He had someone on speaker phone.

"The chicken is still pink in the middle," he reported into the phone. He closed the oven door with a hot pad and asked, "How much longer should they cook?"

_"Another five or ten minutes,"_ the speaker phone woman replied. _"Just keep an eye on them. They can burn fast."_

"Okay." Cooper took careful notes on a notepad beside the sink. "Should I start the asparagus?"

_"They can wait."_ The woman had a kind voice and was exceedingly patient with him. _"You need to start the water for the rice first."_

Cooper opened an overhead cabinet and found a pot and its matching lid. He returned to the sink and filled it halfway with water, before asking the woman, "How long will it take to come to a boil?"

_"It depends on the burner."_ She was quiet for a few seconds, then told him, _"I always put a pinch of salt in the water. It gives the rice some flavor."_

"Alright." Cooper went to the spice cabinet to find some salt. It was then, out of the corner of his eye, he finally noticed Charlotte standing in the doorway. He turned towards her and smiled. "Hey, Stranger. Welcome home."

Before Charlotte could reply, the speaker phone woman asked, _"Excuse me, dear?" _She sounded confused._ "Are you talking to me?"_

"No, no." Cooper turned back to the phone and said, "Sorry, mom. I was talking to someone else." He set the pot of water, complete with a pinch of salt, onto the left burner and turned on the flame. "Alright, the water is heating," he reported to his mother. "What's next?"

_"Cut the asparagus and wash it."_ She added, _"You'll want to cook it in a steamer. Do you have one of those?"_

"Check!" Cooper announced, proudly holding up the steamer as if she could actually see it.

_"Alright, wonderful."_ Cooper's mother sounded pleased her son could identify a steamer. _"You're on the home stretch."_ She counseled him, _"Just keep an eye on the chicken while the rice cooks, then you can recycle the boiling water for the asparagus."_

Charlotte watched Cooper grab a hot pad and check the chicken again. He moved quickly and efficiently, following his mother's instructions to the very last detail. When the chicken had been safely extricated from the oven, the rice was boiling, and the asparagus was patiently waiting its turn, Cooper said to his mother, "Alright, mom. I think I can handle it from here."

_"Are you sure?"_

"Yeah, I'll be alright." He joked with her, "You already helped me through the hard parts."

_"Alright, dear." _His mother sounded hesitant to let him go and stand on his own two feet. She was quick to remind him, _"Your father and I will be home all evening, so don't hesitate to call if you have any questions."_

"I won't." Cooper smiled into the phone. "Thanks for coming to my rescue."

His mother laughed, _"No problem, darling. I love you."_

"I love you, too." After saying their goodbyes, Cooper and his mother ended their long-distance phone call.

Charlotte waited until he'd hung up the phone before she walked towards him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Her smirk reached well-across her face as she teased him, "Did your Momma just cook me dinner?"

Cooper gave a sheepish grin. "Sort of," he admitted.

Her smile grew wider and she took great pleasure in telling him, "You're a Momma's boy."

Cooper didn't try to deny it. He'd always been his mother's pet and it was best Charlotte realized that sooner rather than later. "My mom is great," he told her. "You'd like her a lot."

Charlotte didn't know what to say to that. The thought of meeting Cooper's family, especially when she was drowning in her own, made her feel incredibly anxious. She motioned to the veritable feast behind him and tried to change the subject, "What's the big occasion?"

"Don't be mad," he told her. "But we're having dinner guests."

Charlotte heart dropped into her stomach. She tried her best to school her expression even as a nervous, queasy feeling consumed her. A cold sweat broke out across her hairline. Her heart started beating faster and her pulse began to race. "Guests?" Her voice sounded strained even to her own ears. "What guests?"

"Landry and Addison."

The nervous, queasy feeling in the pit of her stomach blossomed into full-fledged nausea. "Addison and Landry are coming here to dinner?" She swallowed hard. "Together?"

"They'll be here any minute."

Charlotte felt sick to her stomach and had trouble hiding it. She covered her mouth, hand trembling, and said, "Excuse me." Charlotte brushed past him and into the bathroom just off the hallway. She locked the door behind her.

Cooper was immediately concerned. He walked towards the bathroom to check on her, but was stopped by the doorbell. He decided to answer the front door first. "Coming!" He jogged down the hall into the front of the house. He threw open the door, expecting to find Landry and Addison standing on the other side. He was visibly surprised to discover Violet and Pete waiting on the doorstep. His smile faltered and he asked, "What are you guys doing here?"

Violet smiled. "We're here for dinner, of course."

Cooper looked between Pete and Violet, all the while shaking his head. He didn't want to turn them away, but he knew two superfluous people sitting around the dinner table would ruin his plan. "I think there was a miscommunication," he told his friends. "This dinner is for Landry, Addison, Charlotte, and myself." Cooper was quick to add, "I don't think we have enough food for two more people."

Violet used her big belly to all but force her way into the foyer. "Don't worry about it." She motioned for Pete to step inside and help her with her coat. "Just make the portions smaller and there will be plenty." Cooper was a stunned by the affront. By the time he'd recovered, Violet had already closed the door and waddled into the living room. She noticed that the house appeared to be otherwise empty and called to him, "Where are the guests of honor?"

"They're not here yet." Cooper still couldn't believe Violet had strong-armed her way into his dinner party. Even worse was the fact she'd dragged poor Pete along for the ride. He looked confused and absolutely miserable. Cooper was just about to offer him a stiff drink when he heard the oven timer go off. "I'm sorry," he told his unwelcome guests. "I need to go check on the food."

Violet took a seat on the couch and waved him off. "No problem," she told him. "Just pretend like we're not here."

"That would be impossible," Cooper told her under the guise of friendship, but there was a definite edge to his voice. He was clearly annoyed that his dinner party had been crashed by his so-called best friend and the maybe-father of her child. As far as Cooper was concerned, the whole night had been ruined.

Violet could tell Cooper was upset with her, but that was the least of her worries. "Where's Charlotte?"

"Oh." Cooper grimaced as he remembered, "She's in the bathroom. I think her stomach is upset."

Violet wasn't surprised but she played along. "Oh, poor thing." She felt terrible for manipulating her friend. It was, however, completely necessary. "Someone should probably go check on her." She saw Cooper about to volunteer, so she cut him off, "You need to finish dinner. I can take care of Charlotte."

"Would you?" Cooper smiled; the man could never hold a grudge for very long. "I'd really appreciate it."

"That's what friends are for," she told him, ushering him back into the kitchen.

When Cooper was safe in the kitchen and out of earshot, Pete said to Violet, "I still don't understand why I'm here."

"I already told you," Violet whispered back. "I can't tell you." She saw Pete becoming frustrated with her cloak and dagger routine, so she appealed to him, "I need you tonight. Please trust me."

Pete looked into her face and nodded slowly. "I trust you."

"Thank you." They shared a brief smile before Violet excused herself, and said, "I'm going to go check on Charlotte." She walked down the narrow hallway and up the closed bathroom door. When she knocked softly, she received a muffled, "I'll be out in a minute, Coop."

In response, Violet quietly identified herself and said, "Open the door, Charlotte."

The door immediately swung open and revealed Charlotte to be on the verge of a panic attack. Her breathing was shallow and rapid, and her face was incredibly pale. She looked beside herself as she pulled Violet into the bathroom and shut the door. She didn't waste any time launching into an attack. "Is this your doing?" she demanded. "Because I swear to God, I'll report you for ethics violations so fast it'll make your head spin."

"This isn't an intervention," Violet assured her. "This is just Cooper's sweet, misguided attempt to heal your relationship with Landry." She made herself perfectly clear so there wouldn't be any confusion. "I had nothing to do with it."

"Then, why are you here?"

"Because," Violet told her. "I was there when Cooper hatched this little plan-"

"And you didn't stop him?" Charlotte's voice was grew with her outrage. "How could you-"

"My hands were tied by confidentiality. I couldn't tell him anything."

Charlotte found the irony hard to swallow. "So, this is my fault?"

"Assigning blame won't do anyone any good." Violet's first hurdle was to get Charlotte's overwhelming anxiety under control. She thought about suggesting some breathing exercises, then thought better of it. Charlotte would probably smack her. Violet settled on old-fashioned pragmatism. "Everything will be alright. You'll have four friendly faces around the dinner table and should anything go wrong, I brought Pete for back-up."

Charlotte wasn't listening to her. She was utterly consumed by anxiety. She leaned against the bathroom counter, gripping the edges so hard that her knuckles turned white. "This is so bad," she frantically whispered to herself. "This is so, so bad." Her breathing hitched. "Landry will think this was my idea. He'll be furious with me. I'll be lucky if he doesn't take a swing at me-" Charlotte's entire demeanor abruptly shifted. She became very quiet and thoughtful, and repeated herself, "I'll be lucky if he doesn't take a swing at me."

Violet could see the wheels turning in Charlotte's head. She was almost afraid to ask, "What are you planning?"

An eerie calm came over Charlotte once she'd made her decision. "I think it's time someone introduce Montgomery to the real Landry."

Now it was Violet's turn to feel sick to her stomach. She hoped she was wrong, but knew she wasn't. "You're going to provoke him on purpose."

**...TBC...**

* * *

A/N: I decided to break this chapter into two parts. Don't kill me...REVIEWS!


	9. Standing Tall Pt 2

**Chapter Nine: Standing Tall Pt. 2**

Violet stood there stunned. She couldn't believe that Charlotte was seriously considering provoking her older brother. Landry King, from what Charlotte had told her, was a true southern gentleman right up until the moment he backhanded you. He had one hell of a nasty temper and an even nastier track record with women. During his youth, a string of girlfriends had even ended up in the emergency room after various 'misunderstandings' had led to broken bones. Big Daddy's friendship with the Monroeville Deputy Sheriff had insured no official charges were ever brought, and Landry always walked away free and clear. As he'd grown older, he'd become more adept at hiding his true nature, but it was always lurking just below the surface. To purposely provoke a man like that would be reckless and dangerous, and just plain stupid.

Violet tried reason with Charlotte, "You cannot use yourself as bait."

Charlotte's mind was already made up. She appeared to be determined and resolute, and totally committed to her decision. "Montgomery needs to know the truth." She stood up a little straighter and tried to sound in control of her raging emotions. "I'm the only person who knows which buttons to push. I can make him show himself."

Under normal circumstances, Violet usually encouraged her patients to stand up for themselves. This situation, however, was totally different as Charlotte would be risking her physical safety. Violet knew she needed to talk some sense into Charlotte before she did something reckless and potentially dangerous. "Abusive individuals like Landry have no empathy. He won't care that you're his little sister." Violet didn't want to upset Charlotte but she needed to make the point, "If you provoke him, he will hurt you."

"I know."

Charlotte's easy acceptance was unnerving, and left Violet feeling dismayed. "He will hurt you," she repeated. "Physically hurt you."

There was no visceral reaction on Charlotte's part. She looked almost resigned to the fact her brother was going to harm her. "Better me than Montgomery," she replied.

Comprehension dawned on Violet. "You want to martyr yourself for Addison."

"I know Landry." Charlotte needed Violet to understand that time was of the essence. "He's playing Mr. Nice Guy right now, but it's only a matter of time before something sets him off." Charlotte held up her hands and said, "I don't know about you, but I would never forgive myself."

"I want Addison to be safe, too." Violet shook her head and said, "But it's not that simple."

"It's exactly that simple," Charlotte retorted. "It's me or her, and I'm volunteering."

Violet felt enormous sympathy for Charlotte. She was obviously at the end of her robe, and allowing desperation to cloud her judgment. Her total lack of concern for her own well-being told Violet she needed to change her approach, and play off Charlotte's fierce protective instincts. "Just because you're the one pushing Landry's buttons doesn't guarantee he'll lash out at you. He could take his anger out on anyone at that table." She saw Charlotte begin to question herself, so she drove her point home, "He could lash out at me. He could lash out at Addison. He could even lash out at Cooper."

At the mention of Cooper getting hurt, Charlotte finally showed the concern she should've shown for herself. "I've protected him this long-"

"You can protect Cooper from a lot of things, but this isn't one of them." Violet gave a little smile. "Cooper may not be the toughest guy around, but he loves you. He wouldn't hesitate to put his body between you and danger."

Charlotte turned to face the sink and braced both hands on the counter top. "You're right," she conceded. "He'd get hurt."

Violet hated to see Charlotte so defeated. She put her arm around the blonde's shoulders and said, "Lets just get through dinner. We can worry about Landry and Addison tomorrow." Charlotte nodded, and Violet felt immediate relief. "Okay, wonderful."

They unlocked the bathroom door and stepped out into the hallway together. Pete and Cooper were standing there, eyebrows quirked, waiting for some kind of explanation. Charlotte managed a weak smile and told them, "The zipper on my dress got stuck. I needed an extra pair of hands."

"Okay," Cooper intoned. He didn't believe them but he wasn't going to press the issue. "Who wants a drink?"

"God, yes," Charlotte replied.

"I'll have a club soda," Violet answered, rubbing her big belly. "No lime."

Cooper seemed to genuinely enjoy playing host. All he needed was the frilly apron as he grinned and said, "Coming right up, ladies." He started to walk towards the small wet bar in the corner of the living room, but abruptly turned at the sound of the door bell. His entire face lit up. "I'll get it!"

Violet turned towards Charlotte, and watched her mentally prepare herself. Her eyes closed. She took a couple deep breaths, rolled her neck, and muttered something to herself. When her eyes finally opened and she caught Violet watching her, she insisted, "I'm fine."

Pete stood back and observed the two women; their energy felt very off kilter.

The sounds of talking and laughing reached them, then Cooper appeared with Landry and Addison following close behind. "Lets move this party into the living room," he said, motioning for the whole group to follow him out of the hallway and into the sitting area. Pete and Violet sat together on the love seat, Cooper took the armchair, and Landry and Addison shared the couch. The only seat left for Charlotte was beside her brother on the couch.

When Charlotte realized she'd have to sit next to Landry, she stopped short and said, "I'll mix drinks."

"Oh." Cooper started to stand up. "I was supposed to get the drinks-"

"I'm already up." Charlotte was across the living room in two swift steps. "What does everyone want?"

"Club Soda." Violet reminded her, "No lime."

"Rum and coke." Pete added, "Make it weak. I'm driving."

"Nothing for me," Cooper told her with a smile. "I'm not drinking until dinner is safely on the table."

"Bourbon," Landry said brusquely. He wrapped an arm around Addison's shoulders and pulled her tight.

Addison leaned into him and smiled. She didn't take her eyes off Landry as she said, "I'll have a Mint Juliep."

Charlotte had her back to the group, so they couldn't see her revolted expression. She listened with disgust as Landry gloated, "I knew you'd like Bourbon if you just tried it." He chuckled good-naturedly as he ribbed her, "Aren't you glad you listened to me?"

"It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," Addison conceded with a laugh. "And besides, it's good to try new things."

Charlotte carried the drinks, two by two, over to the guests. She gave Violet her club soda, then handed Addison a scotch on the rocks; her signature drink before Landry had come along.

Landry took one look at the drink, then looked up at his sister. "This isn't what she ordered." He took the drink from Addison and tried to give it back. "She wants a Mint Juliep."

"I'm really sorry." Charlotte feigned wide-eyed innocence. "I'm fresh out of mint."

Cooper frowned. "I could've sworn I saw some-"

"Nope," Charlotte cut him off. "No mint."

"It's okay," Addison spoke up. "Scotch is great."

Charlotte returned to drink cart and tried to hide her smile. She mixed Pete's drink and poured Landry's bourbon, but hesitated when she reached for her usual bottle of whiskey. As much as she enjoyed a good Seven and Seven, Charlotte was in the mood for something a little stronger. She needed a bigger kick than lime water and whiskey could provide. Charlotte made the snap decision to mix herself a vodka tonic. Heavy on the vodka.

Charlotte clustered the three glasses together and picked them up at once. Pete was the first to recieve his drink, then despite being able to reach her brother just fine, Charlotte handed Landry's drink to Addison with instructions to pass it over. Landry glared at his sister for her pettiness.

Violet watched Charlotte bypass the empty seat on the sofa and perch on the arm of Cooper's chair. To the casual observer, Charlotte looked like any girlfriend cuddling up with her boyfriend. But Violet knew better. Charlotte was, either consciously or unconsciously, positioning herself between Cooper and Landry. It was obvious to Violet that while Charlotte cared about Addison's safety, Cooper's safety was her real weakness. She was hell-bent on protecting him.

For the next fifteen minutes, the group chatted amicably. Addison talked about the high-risk twins she'd delivered earlier that day. Pete and Landry traded a few anicdotes, and realized they'd both traveled to the same off-the-beating-path place in Asia. Cooper laughed with Violet and teased her about her inability to drink alcohol. Charlotte smiled in all right places to keep up appearances, but she stayed quiet and focused on her vodka tonic. By the time Cooper announced dinner was ready, she was crunching the ice at the bottom of her glass.

"I hope the chicken is good." Cooper motioned for everyone to follow him into the dining room. "It's my mom's special recipe."

Landry pulled a chair out for Addison, which prompted Pete to remember his manners and do the same for Violet. Charlotte made her way into the dining room a few seconds behind everyone else. She was holding a refreshed drink. "It smells amazing," she told Cooper with a smile. She appeared to be relaxing, and just starting to loosen up.

"Here." Cooper motioned for Charlotte to take the seat beside her brother. Despite Pete and Violet's intrusion, Cooper still wanted Landry and Charlotte to talk, and maybe repair their fractured relationship. "Best seat in the house," he told her with a grin.

The small dining room table was operating at full-capacity, and Charlotte couldn't very well ask everyone to scoot down one. She had no choice but to sit beside Landry. "Yeah, best seat in the house," she replied with a terse smile.

Cooper was too wrapped up in playing host to notice anything was wrong. He brought out the first course, a little Caesar salad, with a flourish. Charlotte could tell he was really proud of himself, so she tried to set aside her issues and shower him with praise. He claimed false modesty, but basked in each of her compliments.

By the main course, Charlotte was talking more and more, and not just about Cooper's food. Her liquid courage had done the trick. She was loose and relaxed, and getting along with most everyone at the table. She hadn't interacted with Landry aside from a perfunctory 'pass the salt' but that appeared to suit them both just fine. Everything was going well. Pete was telling an outlandish story about an interesting case he'd solved with crystals, or some kind of funky voodoo, when Addison abruptly stood up.

"Don't mind me," she told Pete with a laugh. "I just want a refill on my drink."

Charlotte waved her near-empty glass in the air. "Montgomery, be a friend-"

"Charlotte," Cooper chastised her with a laugh. "Don't you think you should slow down?"

"He's right," Landry interjected. He then turned his attention onto Addison and said, "You might do well to follow that advice, too."

Addison wasn't sure how to react to Landry's snide comment, so she just stood there frozen until Charlotte blurted out, "Don't pay my brother any mind. He's got Freudian issues when it comes to drinking." If looks could kill, Charlotte would've been dead on the spot. Landry was glaring at her something fierce, but she was on a roll. "Our Momma is a lush, you understand-"

"Okay!" Cooper jumped in before she could dig an even bigger hole for herself. "That's enough of that." He leaned toward Charlotte and whispered, "Can I see you in the kitchen, please?"

"Of course." Charlotte stood up with her empty glass and grabbed Addison's on her way out. "Another scotch coming right up," she told her, following Cooper through the swinging door and into the kitchen. Her forehead nearly collided with Cooper's nose as he abruptly turned and started sniffing the air around her. "What the hell?" She shirked away. "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to gauge how drunk you are."

"I'm not drunk." Charlotte held up Addison's glass and grinned. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some bartending to do." She brushed past him and Cooper watched her walk away. She didn't stumble or weave, but then again, Cooper recognized the fact that Charlotte King could probably drink him under the table and still walk a straight line. She was all about grace under pressure.

Cooper rejoined the group in the dining room. "I'm really sorry about that," he told them like a good host. "It won't happen again."

Charlotte walked back into the dining room and took great pleasure in handing Addison another scotch. "Something occurred to me while I was mixing," she told the other woman as she rounded the table. Charlotte took her seat, sipped her own refreshed drink, and made the observation, "Landry wants you drinking those sissy cocktails because scotch is our Momma's drink of choice." Charlotte looked across the table at Violet and mused aloud, "You're the shrink, Turner. What do you think that means?"

Violet was visibly uncomfortable. "I think we should change the subject."

"Good suggestion," Pete echoed. He fumbled a bit before turning to Addison and saying, "So, tell us how you met Landry."

"Oh, it was my fault, actually," Cooper interjected with a nervous laugh. "I left Landry waiting in Addison's office."

Charlotte leaned into Cooper's personal space and whispered not so quietly, "Remind me to thank you for that later."

The entire table heard the exchange but Pete tried to smooth things over by saying, "Well, you make a nice couple."

"They do, don't they?" Charlotte agreed a little too enthusiastically. "Addison Forbes-Montgomery, world-renowned doctor and surgeon, and my brother-" She took a sip of her vodka tonic, then turned to Landry and apologized, "I'm sorry. Remind me again. What is it you do for a living?"

"You know very well what I do," Landry replied tersely. "I own and operate a horse farm."

"Oh, that's right." Charlotte snapped her fingers. "The horse farm!" She gave a big grin and said in a sing-song voice, "Big Daddy's horse farm."

"No." Landry's speech was clipped, and his eyes had turned cold and severe. "I own the horse farm."

"Really?" Charlotte managed to feign shock and play dumb at the same time. "Because I could've sworn Big Daddy bought the acreage, the horses, and pretty much everything else." She grinned and followed up with, "But hey, nepotism is nothing to be ashamed of."

Pete and Addison could barely keep up with the digs and jabs. They kept glancing between the two siblings, totally arrested by the dinner theatre they'd unwittingly stumbled upon. Cooper, however, looked horrified while Violet didn't have the luxury of ignorance. She scrambled to her feet pretty damn fast for pregnant woman. "Charlotte!" She caught the blonde's attention. "Can I talk with you in the kitchen, please?"

Landry stood up, spiking his napkin onto the table. "Excuse me, Violet, but I need to have a word my sister first."

Charlotte didn't budge. She just looked up at him with innocent eyes. "Yes, Landry?"

"In the kitchen," he snapped, tugging on his collar. "Now."

"I'm staying right here," Charlotte told him. She gripped her chair and held her ground. "Say your peace in front of everyone, or don't say it at all."

"The hell I will." Landry's eyes were flashing anger, his jaw clenching. His nostrils flared with each breath and he looked like he just might lunge across the table. "Kitchen. Now."

Charlotte turned to Cooper, totally calm and controlled, and said, "I think you were right. I think there might be some mint in the kitchen." She gave him a painfully sweet smile. "Will you go check?"

Cooper was completely dumbfounded. He didn't know what to do, so he did as he was told. "Uh, yeah, sure," he stammered, disappearing into the kitchen.

As soon as Cooper was out of sight, Violet went on instant high-alert. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that Charlotte had gotten Cooper out of the room, out of harms way, so she could go for the jugular.

Charlotte stood from her chair, circled around Addison to where Landry was standing. She made a sudden show of noticing the diamond earrings Addison was wearing and exclaimed, "Sweet Jesus! Those are gorgeous."

"Uh, thanks." Addison looked really uncomfortable. She shifted nervously in her chair. "They were a gift."

Charlotte perked up. "From Landry?"

"Yes, of course, from me," Landry growled. "Who else?"

"Oh, I didn't mean to imply anything." Charlotte tilted her head to one side and expounded, "I'm just confused because those earrings look so damn familiar-"

"Stop this ridiculous display right now," Landry hissed, trying to grab her arm and drag her into the kitchen.

Charlotte yanked herself free and continued her appraisal of the earrings. "Yep," she decided with a nod. "I've definitely seen those before."

Landry grabbed her upper arm. Hard. "Shut up," he told her. "Shut up right now-"

Charlotte clapped her hands together and triumphantly announced, "I know where I've seen them." She turned to her brother. "You gave those same earrings to your last girlfriend!" Charlotte made a big show of searching for her name, "Megan? Molly?" Her smile was like a cold dagger to the heart as she delivered the final blow, "I can't remember her name -- All I remember is her dislocated shoulder from when you shoved her down a flight of stairs."

Landry drew back his hand and, before anyone could think or react, cracked Charlotte across the face. She'd tried to brace herself, but Landry was bigger and stronger. The back of his hand made hard contact with her cheek and snapped her neck to one side. The inertia knocked her completely off-balance, spinning her around, and sending her careening into the wall.

Pete was the first to react. He immediately jumped up from the table and yanked Landry back by his collar. Pete had the element of surprise and subdued Landry with a swift sucker punch to nose. Blood spurted everywhere and Landry tumbled to the ground. For a second, it looked like he might try to get up and fight, but Pete warned him, "Stay down." Landry glared at him, wiped the blood from his face, but ultimately stayed down. "You're not so tough against someone your own size," Pete told him, eyeing him with disgust.

Everything after that passed in a blur.

Pete hauled Landry into the guest room, and ordered him to pack up his things. Violet tried to console Addison who was sitting at the table frozen in shock. Cooper rushed back into the dining room, holding up a sprig of fresh mint, trying to make sense of what had just happened. It wasn't until twenty minutes later, after a taxi had taken Landry to the airport, did anyone notice Charlotte's absence. During all the commotion, she had slipped away and locked herself in the bathroom.

Cooper tried to knock on the door and lure her out, but she wouldn't even respond. Finally, Cooper told the remaining guests, "Everyone needs to leave."

Addison was starting to process what had just happened. She shaking and holding onto Violet like a lifeline. "I can't leave until I know Charlotte is okay." All the heart-pumping adrenaline was catching up with her and her voice cracked. "I need to, I don't know, thank her-"

Cooper felt confident telling them, "She isn't going to come out until everyone is gone."

No one wanted to leave without making sure Charlotte was alright, but they all begrudgingly admitted it was for the best. Pete and Violet offered Addison a ride home, then thought better of it, and suggested Addison stay the night at Violet's house to be safe. After all the arrangements had been made and everyone was gone, the weight of everything really hit Cooper. It took his breath away and made his chest hurt. Cooper tried to take a deep breath and pull himself together. He walked up to the bathroom door and knocked softly. "Charlotte," he called. "Everyone is gone. It's just us." There was no response and his heart ached. He closed his eyes and tried to think of something to say, anything at all, so long as it would make her open the door. He suddenly recalled her desperate plea from the day before and reassured her, "I still love you -- No matter what, remember?"

The door slowly opened.

Charlotte was standing there, battered and teary-eyed, looking like she could really use a good hug. In that instant, Cooper forgot all about needing or wanting answers. His only concern was gathering Charlotte up into his arms and pressing a tender kiss against her bruised cheek. There would be plenty of time for talking later.

**...TBC...**

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A/N: O-M-G. That was a really long chapter, but I hope the Ka-Boom was worth the wait...Thoughts? Feelings?

Chapter Ten will be the epilogue.


	10. Thicker Than Water

**Chapter Ten: Thicker Than Water**

**--Epilogue--**

Charlotte hated to fly, or at least that was her excuse for being so nervous. She tried to keep calm and breathe, but her heart was racing. She fussed with the window shade, adjusted the recline of her airplane seat, and drummed her fingernails against the armrest. In a moment of weakness, she considered motioning over the flight attendant and ordering a stiff drink, but the thought of alcohol made her stomach churn. Two months, four therapy sessions, and six stitches later, Charlotte still associated any kind of drinking with the trauma of confronting Landry. The memories of that horrible night were fresh and vivid, and incredibly painful. Charlotte self-consciously touched the faded scar on her temple from where she'd spun and hit the wall, and shuddered.

Cooper felt the tremor race through Charlotte's body. He opened his eyes and turned towards her. She was prodding her temple with a sad, faraway expression on her face. "Hey there, Char." Cooper smiled at her and gently pulled her hand away from her face. He covered her hand with his own, and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Stop worrying." He swept her bangs off to one side and examined the blemish. It was smaller and lighter than in days previous, and in a couple more weeks, he was sure it would fade completely. "The scar is barely noticeable," he told her. "And honestly, your hair covers most of it."

Charlotte managed a weak smile. "I don't care about my scar." She smoothed her hair back down into place and said, "I know it will heal."

"Oh." Cooper felt embarrassed for jumping to the most obvious, superficial conclusion. He had some trouble recovering, but eventually found the words to ask, "So, what's really bothering you?"

Charlotte's honesty broke his heart. "I'm nervous," she admitted, her voice barely audible over the loud hum of the airplane. "I'm really, truly scared."

"Oh, God, Charlotte." Cooper brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed it. "There's no reason to be scared." He smiled at her and passionately insisted, "My parents are going to love you."

"You don't know that-"

"Yes, I do." Cooper was touched by her insecurities but he wanted to put them to rest. "My parents are great people with great taste. They can recognize quality when they see it, and you're quality." Charlotte wrinkled her nose and opened her mouth to argue, prompting Cooper to assert, "It's true. You're quality and they're going to love you."

The co-pilots voice came over the intercom: _"Okay, folks, we're about seven minutes outside the Akron-Canton Airport. The temperature is a balmy fourteen degrees with severe ice storms forecasted for later tonight – In other words, welcome to Ohio!" He chuckled then said, "On behalf of everyone at Southwest Airlines, I'd like to wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday season…"_

Charlotte was regretting not sitting near an emergency exit, and Cooper knew it. "Just breathe." He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "This is going to be good for you."

"How do you figure?"

"You're still hurting from what happened with Landry." He patted her hand and said, "Family is probably the last thing you want right now, but family is exactly what you need."

Charlotte looked down at her lap and studied her seat belt. The shiny metal suddenly fascinated her and she refused to meet his gaze. "So, your parents," she began, a hint of insecurity in her voice. "How much do they know… about everything?"

"Everything?" Cooper wanted clarification before he stepped in it again. "What's everything?"

Charlotte inclined her head toward him and begged, "Don't make me say it out loud."

Cooper heard the catch in her voice and saw the anguish in her face, and he just knew. "Landry is everything." He grimaced and looked pained by the revelation. "God, Charlotte, you're afraid my parents are going to – what, judge you?"

Charlotte was incredulous. "You say that like I'm being unreasonable."

"Not unreasonable." Cooper smiled at her. "Just wrong."

"Oh, well, then," she sniped. "Please enlighten me."

Cooper ignored the nasty tone of voice, and all the huffing and puffing. By now, he knew it was just Charlotte's self-sabotaging bad habit to pick a fight when she was uncomfortable. He wasn't about to feed into that, so he kept his tone gentle and loving, and told her, "You have nothing to worry about. My mom already thinks you're the Holy Grail; a smart, beautiful, educated doctor who can give her grandchildren."

Charlotte's lips quirked into an unexpected smile. "Y'all talk about me – like that, in a good way?"

"Only in a good way," Cooper swore. "Only in a good way."

"Okay." Her dark mood lifted and the sun came out. She smiled that bright, beautiful smile that made him smile right back. "So, the good things – me being a doctor and where I went to school – those are the things they know about me." Charlotte seemed not only relieved but comforted by that revelation, and her nerves calmed considerably.

The lights of the city came through the clouds as the plane descended onto the runway. Charlotte turned to face the window and watched the touchdown. It was a little bumpy but eventually, things evened out and the plane came to a rolling stop in front of the gate.

"We're here," Cooper announced, obviously excited.

The seat belt light went out and a hundred people instantly shot to their feet to fight for the tiny aisle space. Cooper and Charlotte decided to hang back and let everyone else disembark. It was the holidays so naturally, there were a lot of families traveling with small children. Charlotte watched Cooper smile at an adorable little girl sitting across the aisle.

It got Charlotte thinking. "Your Momma wants grandbabies, huh?"

He turned back toward her and apologized, "I'm sorry. What did you say?"

Charlotte lost her nerve and quickly backtracked, "Nothing, never mind."

Cooper shrugged, then stood up and grabbed their bags from the overhead bin. He shouldered the heavier bag and asked, "Are you ready?"

Charlotte stood up and grasped his hand. "Ready."

They walked off the plane and through the airport as a united front. Cooper navigated them out of the crowd, down the escalator and past the baggage carousel, and out into the bitter cold. When the icy wind hit Charlotte's face, it knocked her back a couple steps. "Son of a bitch!" She pulled her coat tight around her and exclaimed, "It's freezing!"

"This is what fourteen degrees feels like," Cooper told her with a laugh. He managed to coax her outside the terminal beside the carpool lane. A long line of cars waited for their perspective passengers and Cooper watched for his parents. When he turned back towards Charlotte, he saw her teeth were already chattering. She had wrapped her scarf up around her face and pulled her hat down over her ears. She was obviously not mentally prepared for the cold Midwestern weather.

Cooper chuckled to himself and pulled Charlotte close. "Come on, come here." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and promised, "I'll keep you warm."

"Hey now," Charlotte chided him. "You better behave yourself." She wriggled out of his embrace and stepped back until there was a respectable distance between them. "You're not getting any sugar in front of your parents."

"But Charlotte-"

"Don't you 'but Charlotte' me." She pointed her finger at Cooper and said, "I'm three thousand miles out of my comfort zone, so you better keep your hands to yourself and not embarrass me."

Cooper stifled his smile and tried to look properly contrite. "Yes, ma'am."

"Thank you."

The bustling crowd parted and Cooper spotted his parents walking toward them. His mother caught his eye and called out, "Cooper, sweetheart, over here!"

Charlotte tensed as Cooper's parents neared closer. She didn't know what to expect, and truthfully, she was feeling a little insecure. First impressions were very important and she just wanted things to go smoothly. The absolute last thing Charlotte needed on the heels of Landry was another family drama. She didn't think she could handle another disaster.

Caroline Freedman was a plump woman in her mid-sixties with brown hair and brown eyes. She wore a little too much make-up like most women her age, but her personality came through loud and clear. She was an extreme extrovert and in all her years, she'd never met a stranger she couldn't turn into a dear friend. Cooper prepared himself for the onslaught of hugs and kisses from his mother. She loved to make a scene and it usually involved smears of red lipstick on his cheek. So, naturally, it surprised Cooper when his mother blew right passed him without so much as a second thought."You must be Charlotte!" Caroline approached the younger woman standing beside her son with open arms. "Oh my goodness gracious. You're gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous."

Cooper watched his mom pull Charlotte into a motherly embrace. The open display affection surprised Charlotte, but she didn't object or try to pull away. She did, however, look uncertain about how to go about returning the hug. Cooper quickly stepped in and came to her rescue. "Okay, mom, okay," he laughed, tugging his mother back. "You're smothering her."

"Hush, you." Caroline gave her son an affectionate swat on arm before turning her attention back to Charlotte. "I've heard so much about you. I feel like I already know you-"

Cooper knew it was futile to try and circumvent his mother's outgoing nature. So instead, he turned toward his father, who hung back from the group, hands in his pockets, observing his wife's antics with a fond shake of his head. Robert Freedman, a tall grey-haired man in his early seventies, was the exact polar opposite of his wife. He was quiet and introverted, and reserved around people he didn't know.

Robert hugged his son and they exchanged pleasantries, but as per usual, both men ended up watching and marveling at Caroline's ability to talk non-stop. The corners of Robert's mouth turned up into an amused smile. "Your friend was warned about your mother, yes?"

"Not exactly," Cooper chuckled. He was quick to add, "And Charlotte is more than just a friend."

"I realize that." Robert gave his son a knowing look. "But you will behave yourself in your mother's house. Separate bedrooms and all that. No funny business."

Cooper looked away as flush crept up his neck. His father loved him unconditionally but he was far from stupid. Cooper fought down his embarrassment and nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Good man." Robert patted his son on the back and all was forgotten. "Now, introduce me to your lovely friend."

The men stepped forward, overhearing the tail-end of Caroline's conversation with Charlotte: "-never brought home one of his girlfriend's before!"

Charlotte was smiling amiably. She appeared totally put to ease by Caroline's overt friendliness and obvious acceptance of her. "Well, I'm so glad to be here. Thank you for opening your home to me." Cooper smiled when he heard that. Only Charlotte, with her thick southern drawl, could make that line sound genuine.

Cooper stepped forward to introduce his father. "Dad, this is Charlotte King." His grin shifted between his father and his girlfriend. "Char, this is my dad, Robert Freedman." He watched them exchange a firm handshake. "You've already met my mom, Caroline."

Charlotte turned back toward the older woman and smiled. "Thank you both for having me."

"You're more than welcome, darling," Caroline assured her, linking their arms together and leading her toward the short-term lot where their car was parked. As an afterthought, she threw over her shoulder, "Cooper, dear, bring the bags."

Robert and Cooper exchanged an amused look. "I guess I'm not the favorite anymore," Cooper laughed.

Caroline helped Charlotte into the front passenger seat, all but fastening her seat belt for her, and then slipped into the driver's seat. It was obvious that Caroline wanted Charlotte all to herself so she could pepper her questions. To Cooper's surprise, however, Charlotte actually seemed to be enjoying answering his mother's nosy questions. Even from the backseat, Cooper could hear the smile in Charlotte's voice. She was actually happy.

Cooper watched for their house as they turned into their division. When he spotted it around the bend, he was immediately dumbstruck. "What the f- …in the world…"

Their modest little house was completely decked out for Christmas. A dozen strings of lights, in every color and shape imaginable, framed their windows and decorated their front porch. There were even clusters of lights wrapped around the snow-covered trees in their yard. It was a total Christmas invasion on a house that had never seen so much as a holiday wreath.

Caroline pulled the car into their driveway and turned off the ignition. "We're trying something new this year," she announced. "Charlotte will be experiencing Chanukah for the very first time, so it seemed only fair that we reciprocate with a little Christmas cheer."

Cooper was touched. Religion was very important to his parents, so this was a huge gesture on their part. He caught Charlotte's eye in the rearview mirror and saw the enormity of it wasn't lost on her. She almost looked a little teary-eyed. "This really means a lot to me," Charlotte told his parents, and it was obvious she meant it from the bottom of her heart. "Thank you-"

"There's no need to thank us, sweetheart." Caroline smiled and reached for Charlotte's hand. "You're practically _mishpucha_.___"_

Cooper took it upon himself to translate: "That means family."

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**A/N:** I hope y'all enjoyed my first (long) chapter story! I'd like to thank the awesome people that reviewed (hint, hint) and ask the most important question: What should my next story be about?


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